Framingham, Massachusetts, and Bogota, Colombia – February 9, 2006 – 

 Averion Inc. (Averion) a leading Contract Research Organization with more than 20 years experience, announced today that it has signed a non-exclusive alliance agreement with SIPLAS Research Organization Inc. (SIPLAS RO). SIPLAS RO is a full-service Contract Research Organization, which provides Phase II-IV services for clinical trials conducted in Latin America. 

This agreement represents a working relationship that will involve joint marketing efforts and a mutual contracting of complementary products and services from both companies to biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Among the areas where a partnership would appear to be beneficial to both parties are cases when Averion may wish to conduct multi-national studies including Latin America or when SIPLAS RO may wish to conduct multi-national studies including North America. 

"We are very excited about this alliance with SIPLAS RO," said Brian Langin, Averion's Associate Director of Business Development and Strategic Alliances. "We now have the ability to offer our clients the assurance of a Latin American partner who has the same level of quality, integrity and commitment that Averion is recognized for." 

"The alliance with Averion brings us a depth of operational experience in clinical research that perfectly integrates with our objective to support global trials that includes sites throughout Latin America," says Juan D. Gutierrez, President of SIPLAS Research Organization Inc. 

Averion provides clinical trials support for biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device companies in the design, execution and reporting of clinical trials. Services include Program Planning, Study Design, Clinical Monitoring, Medical Monitoring, Data Management, Database Development, Biometrics, Medical Writing, Data Monitoring Committees, Compliance and Validation, and FDA Representation. Averion's corporate headquarters are located in Framingham, Massachusetts. Visit Averion's website at 

SIPLAS Research Organization is a specialty, technology-based CRO dedicated to conducting superior Phase II-IV clinical trials in the Andean region countries of Latin America. Our network of qualified investigators in multiple therapeutic areas is located in premier sites in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Venezuela. Our geographic reach is extended to additional countries in Latin America through partnerships with other local CROs in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. Access to these research sites allow SIPLAS RO to meet the increasing needs of biotech and pharmaceutical companies, with enrollment speed unsurpassed anywhere. SIPLAS RO maintains global standards and implements the best talent, infrastructure and technology available to deliver developed-world services from that region. Visit SIPLAS RO's website at 

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Agreement represents a working relationship that will involve joint marketing efforts and a mutual contracting of complementary products and services.