Sample distribution business consolidates with Knipper acquiring MediMedia Health's asset

J. Knipper and Co. (Lakewood, NJ) has been on a steady acquisition trail for the past several years, having acquired Pharmagistics, a sample-management firm, from Publicis Touchpoint Solutions in 2010, and the MySTRO sampling business of inVentiv Health last spring. Now, it has acquired the sampling business of MediMedia Health, a marketing services company, for an undisclosed price, and lays claim to being the No. 1 sample-distribution firm in the US, with warehousing capacity in excess of 600,000 sq. ft.

Company statements point to the evolution going on in sampling: the rise of direct-to-physician (DTP) sampling (which sometimes occurs without the intervention of a sales rep) and direct-to-consumer (DTC) sampling as part of patient assistance programs or other types of prescription fulfillment. The company, which also provides printing and direct mail services, puts an emphasis on closed-loop marketing so that sampling occurs in a context of multichannel interactions with prescribers. “We look forward to transforming the way the industry views ROI and samples management benchmarking,” said Michael LaFerrera, president, in a statement. “Through our integration of the new business, Knipper plans on harnessing the knowledge possessed in its data to provide smarter and more productive tools to its customer base.”