The partnership will attempt to increase physician panel access in hard-to-reach markets in Asia-Pacific, as well as supporting project management and operations.

Jeffrey Kelsch, managing partner and head of US operations at Holden Healthcare, will lead collaboration efforts, working closely alongside Gaku Sasaki, senior executive officer at Seed Planning.

Holden Healthcare was formed in 2008 and runs a panel of more than 250,000 healthcare professionals across 14 Asian markets.

Seed Planning was created in 1982 and specialises in market research and consulting services for the medical and pharmaceutical industries in Japan.

Kelsch said: “We believe that this joint partnership will be momentous and give us a significant advantage in Asia with a sharpened focus on China and Japan.

“Previously having partnered on multiple fieldwork projects with Seed Planning, we anticipate a seamless delivery in providing easy and less-expensive services, coupled with the local know-how of the Japan market, at our same high-quality standards.”

Sasaki added: “We are seeing a great deal of interest in the Asian markets and this collaboration allows us to offer faster, scalable, and more affordable research operational capabilities to well-exceed client’s research goals.

“For a long time, I have wanted to provide a comprehensive suite of services in Asia. This cooperation with Holden Healthcare will now solidify our market presence as a trusted leader with local expertise.”