Allegiance Research Specialists

What Allegiance Research Specialists does

Allegiance Research Specialists is a Milwaukee-based independent clinical research organization operating as Allegiance Research Specialists, LLC under Wisconsin law. Founded in 2003 by Dr. Samuel Idarraga and Dr. Andrew Kim after leaving Covenant Medical Group, the company conducts Phase 3 clinical trials across nine therapeutic specialties (allergy, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology/metabolism, gastroenterology, immunology, neurology, and nephrology) for pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors as well as contract research organizations. The organization reports more than 32 investigators and over 100 trials completed across its 20-plus year history, with preferred-site status from multiple unnamed pharmaceutical sponsors.

The business operates a single-site model from its headquarters at 2645 N. Mayfair Road, Milwaukee. Revenue is generated primarily through investigator fees, patient-enrollment fees, and study-conduct fees paid by sponsors and CROs under professional-services arrangements; pricing for sponsor services is not publicly disclosed. On the demand side, the company recruits patient volunteers at no cost through its website, community outreach, and a referral network of independent Wisconsin healthcare providers. The 2020 launch of Allegiance Internal Medicine (AIMS) as a co-located sub-brand extends the model into routine wellness care and chronic-illness management, creating a pipeline that feeds both clinical care and trial recruitment.

The organization is privately held with no disclosed outside funding, is physician-operated, and relies on reputation and long-standing sponsor relationships rather than a technology platform or formal sales motion for growth. There is no evidence of proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, patents, certifications, or regulatory milestones beyond standard clinical-research compliance. Geographic reach is regional (southeastern Wisconsin), and expansion beyond a single site has not been publicly signaled.

Name

Allegiance Research Specialists

Legal name

Allegiance Research Specialists, LLC

Website

https://arsmke.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Allegiance Research Specialists is a Milwaukee-based independent clinical research site that runs Phase 3 trials across nine specialty areas for pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs, while also operating an affiliated internal medicine practice that recruits patient volunteers from southeastern Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Trial Site Operations & Study Coordination (HLAGACAE)

Keywords

• Clinical trial services
• Clinical research organization
• Pharmaceutical research site
• Neurology clinical research
• Cardiology clinical trials

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Clinical Trial Services: The company conducts clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations (CROs). They receive compensation for acting as a research site, including investigator fees, patient enrollment fees, and study conduct fees. Sponsors pay for high-quality, reliable trial execution across multiple therapeutic areas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Allegiance Research Specialists operates as an independent Milwaukee-based clinical research site that conducts clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and CROs across nine specialty therapeutic areas (Allergy, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology/Metabolism, Gastroenterology, Immunology, Neurology, and Nephrology). The organization also operates an affiliated internal medicine practice (AIMS) providing personalized preventive and chronic illness care to patient volunteers.

Product overview

Allegiance Research Specialists operates as a unified organization comprising two main components: Allegiance Research Specialists (the core clinical research division) and Allegiance Internal Medicine (AIMS), its affiliated medical practice. The research division conducts clinical trials across nine specialty areas—Allergy, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology/Metabolism, Gastroenterology, Immunology, Neurology, and Nephrology—serving pharmaceutical sponsors and contract research organizations. The AIMS practice provides Routine Wellness Care, Ongoing Chronic Illness Management, and connects patients to cutting-edge treatments through the research division. Together, these offerings deliver integrated, patient-centric medical services combining high-quality research with personalized clinical care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Trials Services A comprehensive clinical trial program offering investigator-led Phase 3 randomized controlled studies across nine therapeutic areas (Allergy, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology/Metabolism, Gastroenterology, Immunology, Neurology, and Nephrology), delivered to pharmaceutical sponsors, biotech firms, and contract research organizations through a network of 32+ investigators.
• Allegiance Internal Medicine (AIMS) An independent medical practice providing personalized wellness care, ongoing chronic illness management, and access to cutting-edge treatments through integration with the research specialists division; serves individual patients in Milwaukee and the greater southeastern Wisconsin area.
• Routine Wellness Care Preventive medical care services including flu shots, wellness visits, and travel medicine with customized guidance, offered to patients of the Allegiance Internal Medicine practice.
• Ongoing Chronic Illness Management Personalized, patient-focused care helping patients navigate chronic illness through ongoing management and support, delivered through the Allegiance Internal Medicine practice.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Pharmaceutical CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAllegiance Research Specialists has earned designation as a high tier and preferred site from several pharmaceutical companies. These partnerships involve conducting clinical trials for drug development across multiple therapeutic areas including cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, immunology, neurology, nephrology, and allergy.
• Contract Research Organizations (CROs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a preferred research site, Allegiance partners with contract research organizations to execute clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical sponsors. These are strategic partnerships essential to their business model.
• Independent Healthcare ProviderssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAllegiance partners with like-minded independent providers to build a reliable referral network for patient volunteers and create a community of independent medicine practitioners.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Medpace: Mid-to-large CRO with significant site-management operations across therapeutic areas including cardiology, endocrinology, and neurology — areas where Allegiance also operates. Functions both as a CRO customer of Allegiance and as a competitor for site services.
• Sarah Cannon Research Institute: Large, established site network (part of HCA Healthcare) conducting trials across oncology and other specialties. Represents the scaled, network-affiliated SMO model that Allegiance competes against for sponsor placement.
• ICON plc: Global CRO with site-services and dedicated site-network offerings following the PRA Health Sciences combination. Overlaps with Allegiance as both a CRO partner and a broader-market competitor for sponsor trial placement.
• IQVIA: Global CRO and site-services incumbent; operates a large site network and is one of the largest buyers of independent site capacity. Comparable because Allegiance partners with IQVIA-adjacent CROs while also competing with its in-house SMO capabilities.

Direct peers

• Flourish Research: Multi-site, multi-specialty clinical research organization with an integrated patient recruitment model analogous to Allegiance's AIMS-plus-research structure. Comparable in operating model and sponsor positioning.
• Velocity Clinical Research: Multi-site independent clinical research site network conducting trials across therapeutic areas similar to Allegiance. Directly comparable as a site-based SMO competing for the same sponsor and CRO placement decisions.
• CenExel: Network of clinical research sites specializing in CNS, analgesia, and other specialty indications, with deep investigator pools similar to Allegiance's 32+ investigator model. Competes head-to-head for multi-specialty trial allocation.

Regional players

• Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin: Academic medical center in Milwaukee that Allegiance's founders are clinically affiliated with. Competes for the same regional patient population and sponsor trials in overlapping specialty areas such as cardiology, gastroenterology, and neurology.

Others

• WCG Clinical: Provider of clinical trial enablement services (IRB, IBC, technology, training) used by sponsors and sites. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but shapes the operating environment in which Allegiance conducts trials.

Emerging players

• Elligo Health Research: Tech-enabled clinical research site network bringing research into community practices. Overlaps with Allegiance's model of combining research with routine clinical care, and represents an emerging alternative model sponsors may prefer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Allegiance Research Specialists