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| Carin Canale-Theakston |
Dublin-based UDG Healthcare has acquired San Diego’s Canale Communications, the life sciences PR firm that has served more than 300 biotech, medical devices, digital health, and pharmaceutical companies since its launch in 2010.
UDG, which employs 8,500 people in 26 countries, is the parent of Ashford Healthcare Communications, provider of advisory, communication, commercial and clinical services for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
CanaleComm, which will retain its name, will become part of AHC.
CEO Carin Canale-Theakston, former head of Porter Novelli’s life sciences unit and partner of boutique shop Atkins + Assocs. that was acquired by PN, called AHC “the ideal platform" as the firm looks to grow a more robust service offering. “UDG Healthcare’s focus on life sciences, complementary offering, and strong employee-first culture were all extremely attractive to CanaleComm,” she said.
Matt Jacobson, AHC executive director, views the deal as a way to strengthen his firm’s US footprint, expecially in the west coast biotech sector.
CanaleComm, which has 30 staffers, has worked with Johnson & Johnson, Avidity Biosciences, Genome Medical, The Cleary Foundation, Dauntless Pharmaceutical and Cirius Therapeutics.
Public Policy Holding Company registered 23.8 percent Q3 growth to $48.8M, with organic growth contributing 4.5 percent and the balance driven by merger & acquisition activity.
Publicis Groupe reported 3.1 percent in Q3 growth to $4B, sparked by a 3.6 percent jump North America, its biggest market.
WPP suffered a 10.2 percent drop in 1H revenues to $6.7B and a 47.8 percent plunge in operating profit to $297M.
Interpublic reported Q2 net revenues dropped 6.6 percent to $2.2B and operating income tumbled 23.4 percent to $243.7M. 
WPP has adopted a gloomier profit and sales forecast due to a deteriorating Q2 financial performance triggered by weak client spending as companies cope with the challenging economic backdrop.
