What Medicines Evaluation Unit does

Medicines Evaluation Unit Ltd (MEU) is a UK-based contract research organization (CRO) founded around 2000 and headquartered in a purpose-built, 36-bed hospital-based research facility in Wythenshawe, Manchester, with a satellite unit (MEU Quays) opened in 2023 at Salford Quays. MEU specializes in early phase clinical trials, offering Single Ascending Dose (SAD) and Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) trials, bioequivalence studies, pharmacodynamic assessments, and specialist patient cohort programs across respiratory, dermatology, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and diabetes therapeutic areas. The organization has conducted over 370 clinical trials involving more than 10,000 patients over its 20+ year history.

MEU's core technology stack centers on the proprietary I.C.A.R.U.S. clinical database and trial management system, which holds demographic and clinical records on over 45,000 volunteers and patients and enables protocol-specific feasibility analysis and rapid recruitment. Supporting capabilities include an MHRA Phase I accredited pharmacy with GMP Grade C aseptic assembly, an in-house Phase I research facility with cardiac/telemetry monitoring and an outpatient assessment suite, a specialized bronchoscopy suite, and an extensive pharmacodynamics capability spanning ECG, telemetry, EEG, lung function, and challenge models. MEU also leads UK expertise in propellant testing for low global warming potential (GWP) inhalers (HFA-152a and HFO-1234ze), building on its role in the original CFC-free inhaler transition.

MEU generates revenue by selling clinical research services to pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors under direct enterprise contracts, with a go-to-market built on enterprise field sales, MHRA Phase I accreditation (held continuously since July 2009 with a clean inspection record across seven inspections through March 2025), KOL engagement, and integration with the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Manchester, and the North West Lung Centre Charity. The company is privately held and operates as an IQVIA subsidiary, with sister company CRO-Solutions providing additional capacity at Salford Quays and a partner network of accredited Phase I units across England and Wales extending reach for niche patient populations and radiolabelled studies.

Name

Medicines Evaluation Unit

Legal name

Medicines Evaluation Unit Ltd

Website

https://meu.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Medicines Evaluation Unit (MEU) is a UK-based, MHRA-accredited Phase I contract research organization (CRO) and IQVIA subsidiary specializing in early phase clinical trials across respiratory, dermatology, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and diabetes indications, operating a 36-bed facility in Manchester and a Salford Quays satellite.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Research Organization (CRO) Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Central Laboratory & Clinical Trial Testing CROs (HLAGAAAE)

Keywords

• Early phase clinical trials
• Contract research organization
• Phase I clinical research
• Respiratory clinical trials
• Bioequivalence studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Clinical Research Services (CRO): MEU operates as a contract research organization providing Phase I-IV clinical trial services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Revenue is generated through conducting clinical trials on behalf of clients, including SAD and MAD trials, bioequivalence studies, pharmacodynamic assessments, and patient cohort studies. Services include regulatory consultancy and clinical supply capabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Medicines Evaluation Unit (MEU) is a UK-based contract research organization (CRO) specializing in early phase (Phase I) clinical trials for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The company operates a 36-bed hospital-based research facility in Manchester, conducting SAD and MAD trials, bioequivalence studies, pharmacodynamic assessments, and patient cohort studies across therapeutic areas including respiratory, dermatology, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and diabetes. MEU also provides specialized propellant testing services for climate-friendly inhalers and runs an MHRA-accredited pharmacy.

Product overview

Medicines Evaluation Unit (MEU) is an IQVIA business and UK-leading Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in early phase clinical trials. The company operates from a state-of-the-art 36-bed hospital-based research facility in Manchester with a satellite unit at MEU Quays. Core offerings include I.C.A.R.U.S., MEU's proprietary clinical database and trial management system, which underpins recruitment and study management across multiple therapeutic areas. MEU provides Phase I clinical trial services with MHRA accreditation, spanning respiratory, dermatology, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and diabetes therapeutic areas, alongside specialized capabilities in bioequivalence studies, pharmacodynamics, pharmacy services, recruitment, research and development, and propellant testing for climate-friendly inhalers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Phase I Clinical Trials Early phase clinical trial services including Single Ascending Dose (SAD) and Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) trials, with expertise in hybrid designs including patient cohorts. Serves pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking single-site solutions for early phase programmes.
• Bioequivalence Studies Bioequivalence studies in both healthy subjects and patient populations, including single-dose and steady-state studies with fed-state expertise.
• Respiratory Clinical Trials Specialist respiratory clinical trials in Asthma, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, and Allergy with over 300 studies conducted. Database includes over 4,500 asthmatics and nearly 2,000 COPD patients.
• Dermatology Clinical Trials Clinical trials for skin conditions including psoriasis, eczema, and urticaria with expertise in PD markers, skin biopsies, and assessments including EASI, PASI, BSA, PGA, and SCORAD.
• Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Clinical trials in cardiovascular conditions with database of over 2,500 patients. Focus areas include hypertension, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.
• Inflammatory Clinical Trials Clinical trials for inflammatory conditions including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and rheumatological/auto-immune diseases.
• Diabetes Clinical Trials Clinical trials for diabetes and metabolic/endocrine conditions with a database of over 700 diabetes patients for fast and responsive recruitment.
• Pharmacy Services MHRA accredited pharmacy with GMP Grade C aseptic suite, IMP storage capabilities at ambient, refrigerated and frozen temperatures, and experience in aseptic technique, complex packing, and capsule filling.
• Recruitment Services Volunteer and patient recruitment with I.C.A.R.U.S. database hosting over 45,000 volunteers and access to catchment area of 2.8 million patients through Greater Manchester Primary Care Network.
• Pharmacodynamics Pharmacodynamic assessments including ECG, telemetry, imaging, respiratory capabilities, and challenge models for clinical trial endpoints.
• Propellant Testing Testing services for climate-friendly inhalers and low global warming potential (GWP) propellants including HFA-152a and HFO-1234ze to support transition towards environmentally sustainable inhaled drug delivery.
• Research and Development Collaborative R&D with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust including cell culture, immunoassays, immunohistochemistry, PCR, flow cytometry, and western blotting for biomarker development.
• MEU Quays Satellite clinical trial facility at Salford Quays with reception, 6 clinic rooms, and 8 beds for additional clinical trial capacity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 370 clinical trials completed with 10,000+ patients involved
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BespakcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 May 2024Strategic partnership to accelerate clinical trials on climate-friendly inhalers. MEU brings clinical trial expertise and regulatory consultancy while Bespak provides clinical supply capabilities at its Holmes Chapel site for manufacturing pMDIs containing new low GWP propellants (HFA-152a and HFO-1234ze). The collaboration aims to fast-track time to clinic and increase throughput of low GWP pMDIs moving through clinical evaluation.
• EpiEndominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2024Clinical trial partnership where MEU served as a clinical site for EpiEndo's Phase 2A clinical trial for EP395 in COPD patients. The study enrolled 61 adults across 6 clinics in UK and Germany.
• Upstream BiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2024MEU provided one-site solution for Upstream Bio's clinical trial leads, including development of a complex flow cytometry assay for monitoring drug pharmacodynamics in allergic and inflammatory conditions trials.
• IQVIAcoreOthersMEU is an IQVIA business, operating as part of the global IQVIA organization (NYSE:IQV), a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence.
• CRO-SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister company to Medicines Evaluation Unit Ltd located at Salford Quays. Offers single site solution for all clinical trial needs, providing integrated capacity alongside MEU.
• Greater Manchester Blood BikesminorOthersMEU supports the local volunteer blood bike service which transports vital medical supplies including blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, and donor breast milk to hospitals and healthcare facilities. MEU has raised £12,565 for this charity.
• North West Lung Centre CharitycoreOthersThe North West Lung Centre Charity is the major shareholder of MEU and has received over £10 million in donations from MEU. The charity funds independent academic research and patient care within the NHS, supporting lung cancer screening and treatment innovations.
• Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEU works in collaboration with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, led by Professor Dave Singh (Head of Airway Pharmacology Group). Research includes cell culture, immunoassays, immunohistochemistry, PCR, flow cytometry and western blotting for biomarker development in early clinical trials.
• University of ManchestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with University of Manchester including Professor Dave Singh as Professor of Respiratory Pharmacology. Multiple research collaborations and clinical academic positions supported through the North West Lung Centre Charity.
• TORCH (Thoracic Oncology Research Hub)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique collaboration between physicians, surgeons, radiologists and pathologists at North West Lung Centre. Part of Cancer Research UK's Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, involved in national studies and the Tracer X collaboration with University College London.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Celerion: Global early-phase clinical research organization specializing in Phase I/IIa studies and bioanalytical services; directly comparable therapeutic-area focus and single-site Phase I delivery model.
• Quotient Sciences: UK-based early-phase CRO offering integrated Phase I clinical and manufacturing services with strong respiratory and hybrid SAD/MAD patient-cohort capabilities, directly comparable to MEU's single-site Phase I model.
• Richmond Pharmacology: London-based specialist Phase I clinical research unit running SAD/MAD and patient-cohort studies with strong academic and NHS ties; a direct UK competitor for early-phase respiratory and inflammation trials.
• Hammersmith Medicines Research: UK Phase I unit with extensive first-in-human experience across healthy volunteer and patient studies, including vaccine and respiratory trials; closely comparable in scale and operating model to MEU.
• Simbec Research: Wales-based early-phase CRO offering Phase I healthy volunteer and patient studies with particular strengths in respiratory and specialist pharmacodynamics; competes head-to-head with MEU for UK early-phase contracts.

Broad incumbents

• ICON plc: Global CRO with extensive early-phase and bioanalytical capacity post-PRA Health Sciences acquisition; broad incumbent that competes with MEU for large multi-arm respiratory and inflammation programs.
• Parexel International: Large global CRO offering Phase I–IV clinical development services; competes with MEU for enterprise respiratory and early-phase programs while providing multi-site, multi-geography scale MEU cannot match.
• PPD (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Global CRO within Thermo Fisher offering Phase I–IV clinical development and central lab services; competes for enterprise early-phase respiratory contracts as part of an integrated platform.
• Labcorp Drug Development (Covance): Global CRO with significant early-phase clinical pharmacology and central laboratory capabilities; broad incumbent offering integrated Phase I and bioanalytical services that overlap with MEU's offering.
• Syneos Health: Global biopharmaceutical solutions organization providing Phase I–IV clinical development services; competes for enterprise respiratory and inflammation early-phase work as a broad incumbent vendor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/meutrials
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5y8TWs2szDYPPSKfVIrq4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/meutrials
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medicines-evaluation-unit

Compliance8 records

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 Medicines Evaluation Unit