INQUIS Clinical Research

What INQUIS Clinical Research does

INQUIS Clinical Research is a Toronto-based, privately held contract research organization (CRO) founded in 1997 that provides clinical nutrition research services to the global food industry. The company originated as Glycaemic Index Testing Inc., co-founded by Dr. Thomas Wolever — co-developer of the glycemic index concept in 1981 — and was rebranded to INQUIS Clinical Research Ltd in 2019 to reflect its expanded service scope. It operates a single ISO 9001-certified facility in downtown Toronto with in-house clinical exam rooms, food preparation kitchens, phlebotomy services, a bioanalytical laboratory, and temperature-controlled sample storage (-20°C and -80°C).

The company's core offering is full-service clinical trial execution spanning protocol development, ethics submissions, participant recruitment, trial conduct, biological sample analysis, biostatistics, and manuscript preparation. Its specialized research verticals include ISO 26642:2010-compliant glycemic index and glycemic load testing, metabolic response studies (glucose, insulin, gut hormones including GLP-1, GIP, PYY, ghrelin), weight loss and satiety trials using DEXA and bioelectrical impedance, digestive health and microbiome studies, chronic disease risk factor research, and bioactive ingredient efficacy work. The in-house laboratory validates analytical methods for a broad metabolite panel and provides the INQUIS Certification Mark for tested products.

INQUIS operates on a professional services / project-based revenue model with custom quotation-based pricing tied to study complexity, sample size, and analytical requirements. Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct outreach, scientific conference presence (ASN Nutrition, DNSG, ICQC, SupplySide Global, Diabetes Canada), peer-reviewed publications (360+ papers by Dr. Wolever alone), and reputation-based referrals. The company is accredited as a laboratory for the Glycemic Index Foundation's worldwide GI Symbol certification program and has conducted work for multinational ingredient companies including Cargill. The firm maintains a leadership team of senior scientists and managing directors and operates without disclosed external funding or acquisition activity.

Name

INQUIS Clinical Research

Legal name

INQUIS Clinical Research Ltd

Website

https://inquis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

INQUIS Clinical Research is a Toronto-based CRO providing full-service clinical nutrition research — including ISO-compliant glycemic index testing, metabolic response trials, and bioanalytical services — to the global food industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Research Services

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFALAAAA

Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Safety, Testing & Certification/Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen)

SECONDARYAFALAAAH

Labeling, Nutrition Facts & Allergen Verification Services

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Safety, Testing & Certification/Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen)

Keywords

• Clinical research services
• Glycemic index testing
• Clinical nutrition trials
• Contract research organization
• Metabolic response testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Clinical Research Services: Full-service contract research organization providing clinical trial services to the food industry. Services include protocol development, ethics submissions, participant recruitment, trial execution, biological sample analysis, biostatistics, final reports, and manuscript preparation. Revenue generated through project-based contracts for clinical trials.
2. Glycemic Index Testing Services: Specialized GI and Glycemic Load determination services using ISO 2010 methodology. Provides certification mark for tested products. Approximately 1 week per food plus 4 weeks for analysis and reporting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

INQUIS is a contract research organization providing full-spectrum clinical nutrition research services to the food industry, from protocol development, recruitment, and trial execution through biological sample analysis, biostatistics, and final reporting. It specializes in ISO 26642:2010-compliant Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load testing and metabolic response studies.

Product overview

INQUIS Clinical Research is a clinical nutrition research organization offering a comprehensive suite of services to the food industry. The core offering consists of complete clinical trial services spanning protocol development, recruitment, trial execution, biological sample analysis, biostatistics, and final report preparation. Key specialized research services include Glycemic Index & Glycemic Load Testing (ISO-certified), Metabolic Responses Research, Weight Loss & Satiety Studies, Digestive Health Research (including microbiome), Quality of Life Research, Chronic Disease Risk Factors Research, and Bioactive Ingredients Research. The company operates an in-house analytical laboratory and provides an INQUIS Certification Mark for products tested at their facility. The organization was co-founded in 1997 by Dr. Thomas Wolever, who co-developed the Glycemic Index concept in 1981.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Research Services Complete spectrum of clinical research services covering the entire trial process from protocol development, recruitment, and trial execution, through biological sample analysis and biostatistics, to comprehensive final reports and manuscript preparation. For food and ingredient companies.
• Glycemic Index & Glycemic Load Testing ISO-certified clinical testing services to determine the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load of food products, conducted according to internationally accepted guidelines (ISO 26642:2010). Includes provision of a certification mark for tested products.
• Metabolic Responses Research Clinical trials studying markers of metabolism including glucose and insulin responses, gut hormones (GLP-1, GIP, PYY, ghrelin, adiponectin), vascular function, antioxidants, and protein and fat metabolism.
• Weight Loss & Satiety Research Clinical trials investigating appetite, food intake, satiety, satiation, long-term weight loss, and body composition changes using DEXA scans and bioelectrical impedance analysis.
• Digestive Health Research Clinical trials examining microbiome composition, constipation/laxation, and gastrointestinal tolerance and digestibility of foods, ingredients, sweeteners, and fibers.
• Quality of Life Research Clinical trials assessing mood, mental wellbeing, energy, fatigue, symptoms, cognition, memory, and mental acuity through questionnaires and cognitive assessments.
• Chronic Disease Risk Factors Research Clinical trials examining cholesterol-lowering effects, insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and markers of chronic inflammation including CRP and interleukin 6 and 3.
• Bioactive Ingredients Research Research services for efficacy, safety, tolerance, pharmacokinetics, and claims support for proteins, fibers, sweeteners, and Natural Health Products (NHPs), including NHP master file preparation.
• In-house Analytical Laboratory Services In-house laboratory specializing in analysis of metabolites including glucose, insulin, lipids, liver enzymes, hormones, and other biomarkers with validated analytical methods and secure sample storage.
• INQUIS Certification Mark Certification mark provided to clients for use on products that were clinically tested at INQUIS, available free of charge to all INQUIS clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• GI determination compliant with ISO 26642:2010 international standard
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Glycemic Index FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINQUIS is an accredited laboratory for the Glycemic Index Symbol Program, an independent worldwide GI certification program administered by the Glycemic Index Foundation. This allows INQUIS clients to potentially obtain the GI Symbol for their tested products.
• Cargill R&D CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINQUIS conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial on stevia sweetener effects on gut microbiome for Cargill R&D Center. Trial demonstrated no significant effect of stevia on microbiome composition.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Glycemic Index Foundation: The Glycemic Index Foundation administers the worldwide GI Symbol Program for which INQUIS is an accredited laboratory — an ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but a key channel for INQUIS's certified clients.
• Tufts University Friedman School (Nutrition Research): Tufts is a leading academic nutrition research center that conducts metabolic and dietary intervention studies — thematically comparable to INQUIS's research areas and a potential academic partner or competitor for grant-funded clinical nutrition work.
• Mondelēz International (R&D Clinical Nutrition): Mondelēz operates in-house clinical nutrition research programs and is both a potential customer and ecosystem participant — comparable as a sponsor of similar nutrition clinical trials rather than a competing CRO.

Broad incumbents

• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River is a major global CRO offering clinical and laboratory services; while primarily pharma-focused, its discovery and safety segments overlap with INQUIS's clinical trial execution capabilities for food industry clients.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins is a global testing services group with food and nutrition testing capabilities including clinical and nutritional studies — a broad incumbent that competes with INQUIS on food-industry contract research at larger scale.
• IQVIA: IQVIA is one of the world's largest CROs and could compete for food-industry clinical nutrition contracts if its clients move into metabolic-health and consumer health-claim studies.
• Intertek: Intertek provides food testing, clinical research, and quality assurance services globally, including nutrition and health-claim studies — competing with INQUIS as a broad incumbent with deeper geographic reach.
• SGS Nutrition & Health: SGS is a global inspection, verification, testing and certification company with food and clinical nutrition services — a broad incumbent that overlaps INQUIS's food-industry testing and claim-substantiation work.

Direct peers

• Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL): RSSL is a UK-based contract research provider for the food, beverage, and nutrition industries, with clinical and analytical capabilities overlapping INQUIS's GI testing and metabolic-response trial services.
• Biofortis (Mérieux NutriSciences): Biofortis is the clinical nutrition research arm of Mérieux NutriSciences, offering contract clinical trials for the food and nutrition industry — directly comparable to INQUIS's core offering of GI, metabolic, and nutrition intervention studies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inquis-clinical-research
• Facebookfacebook.com/INQUISClinicalResearch

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INQUIS Clinical Research