Azidus: 25 years of excellence in clinical research and what to expect for the future

Led by founder and CEO Luciana Ferrara and COO Paulo Fernandes, Azidus is the second investment from Green Rock's new fund.

It is a Contract Research Organization (CRO) which, in literal Portuguese, is a term translated as “Contract Research Organization”, but is better understood as “Clinical Research Representative Organization”. The nomenclature refers to companies responsible for planning, managing and developing clinical trials for other industry players, such as pharmaceutical companies and technology developers. With 25 years' experience in the market, Azidus is a reference in clinical research and serves major companies around the world, such as Cristália, E.M.S., AstraZeneca, GSK, Biogen, Instituto Butantan and P&G.

As a research specialist, Azidus accelerates discoveries and transforms science into real solutions for health, which is why it is the newest member of the Green Rock portfolio of investees.

Now it's your turn to learn a little about Azidus' trajectory and the professionals who bring it to life in the interview below.

1. Question: How did Azidus come about and what was the context of the sector at the time?

Luciana:  Azidus was created in 1999, 25 years ago. It was a time when the federal government, through the Ministry of Health, created an agency called Anvisa, which would become the regulator of various health surveillance products, including medicines and health products. At the same time, the Ministry of Health implemented the generic drug policy, which required clinical studies to prove bioequivalence between generic and reference products. I was working in the pharmaceutical industry at the time, and the company was set up to meet this demand, initially providing services to the industry where I worked and later expanding to other companies.

2. Question: How has the experience of working with clinical research in Brazil been over the years?

Luciana: The barriers since 1999 have never been related to the quality of the researchers, the research centers or the data generated. The biggest challenge was regulation, as Anvisa was still under development. Initially, there were no clear regulations, and as the rules were created and improved, there were many changes. This made the process bureaucratic and unpredictable.

Today, with more established legislation and a more mature regulatory process, Brazil has become a very attractive country for clinical research, with qualified researchers, structured centers and well-defined processes.

3. Question: With the new legislation, what changes in practice for Azidus?

Luciana: The sector is expected to grow, driven not only by the new legislation, but also by the quality of the researchers and professionals in the sector. Clinical research in Brazil has been maturing since the 1980s, and now, with more predictable deadlines and clearer rules, the sector can grow even more. This reduces the variability of the process and improves the cost ratio for developers, making Brazil even more competitive in international clinical research.

4. Question: What is the current stage of Azidus?

Luciana: Azidus is now a mature company from a technical point of view and is currently improving its governance processes, which was one of the factors that motivated Green Rock's investment. We are at an advanced stage in the growth curve, and the improvement in governance should contribute even more to the company's performance.

5. Question: What steps will Azidus take in the next 5 to 10 years with the arrival of Green Rock?

Paulo: The arrival of Green Rock comes at a very promising time for clinical research. Azidus already has a solid track record and a high degree of technical maturity, which generates confidence in the market. Green Rock's investment will help us to follow a new growth journey, based on experience, maturity and quality delivery.

6. Question: Considering that Paulo is a newcomer to the company, what does the partnership between the two of you bring to Azidus?

Paulo: Working with Luciana is a great opportunity. She is a reference in the market, a pioneer and an exceptional entrepreneur, working in a sector that is still very traditional. I learn a lot from her.

Luciana: The partnership brings valuable corporate expertise, essential for implementing new processes and improving the company's governance. When we share leadership, we need people who are aligned with the company's philosophy, but who also bring a fresh set of eyes and global expertise.

7. Question: What would you like to highlight to investors about Azidus?

Luciana: Azidus is a vertically integrated company with unparalleled regulatory knowledge in Brazil. Our expertise allows us to offer regulatory security to our clients, guaranteeing speedy processes and avoiding rework. Our main goal is to deliver efficient work on time, always maintaining a partnership with our clients.

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Want to know even more about Azidus? Read the article “Clinical research is on the verge of a turning point. Azidus wants to ride the wave”, published on the Brazil Journal portal.