Merger unites two industry leaders well-positioned to improve patient outcomes and advance healthcare delivery as a combined company
PharmaCord LLC (“PharmaCord”), a leading provider of patient services for the biopharmaceutical industry, and Mercalis, an integrated life sciences commercialization partner that provides comprehensive solutions that span the entire healthcare value chain, announced a merger to create one of the largest and most trusted independent total solutions providers to the biopharmaceutical industry. The combined company will be an industry-leading provider that offers a full suite of solutions, from patient services to market access, supporting the entire commercialization process.
PharmaCord is a high-growth pharma services company that serves as a commercialization partner for over 30 biopharmaceutical organizations with the goal of enhancing the patient experience. PharmaCord’s comprehensive solutions support the patient journey for specialty medications through a range of services that raise awareness, facilitate access to treatment, improve affordability, and promote therapy adherence. PharmaCord employs over 1,100 dedicated team members and supports over 100 biopharmaceutical products through its various programs. Funds advised by Permira completed the acquisition of PharmaCord in September 2024.
Mercalis, a portfolio company of Odyssey Investment Partners (“Odyssey”), employs more than 1,800 dedicated associates who support over 500 clients in navigating complexity and accelerating value to improve patient outcomes. Founded in 2000, Mercalis partners closely with life science companies to deliver end-to-end solutions across the entire commercialization value chain. Its integrated suite of services seamlessly combines data-driven market access insights, comprehensive technology-enabled patient support services, and healthcare provider engagement solutions to help customers successfully bring new healthcare products to market and enhance the lives of the patients they serve.
By combining PharmaCord’s expertise in patient services with Mercalis’s advanced technology infrastructure, experienced commercial team, and fully integrated market access offerings, the new entity is poised to be a leading provider of patient access solutions to the biopharmaceutical industry. The merger will enhance the patient experience by improving access and affordability while addressing the complex challenges of adherence and retention, particularly for specialty medications.
“This combination is about more than growth — it’s about impact and transformation to meet evolving manufacturer and patient needs. By uniting PharmaCord’s deep expertise in hub services with Mercalis’s established leadership in end-to-end patient access solutions and robust infrastructure, we are building a next-generation platform that redefines how life science companies bring innovative therapies to market,” said Robert Truckenmiller, CEO of PharmaCord. “Together we will unlock new efficiencies, accelerate patient access, create a seamless experience for healthcare providers and patients alike, and provide a highly compelling opportunity for employees.”
“This merger marks an exciting milestone for Mercalis and our team as we continue our journey of transformative growth and innovation alongside PharmaCord,” said Scott Dulitz, CEO of Mercalis. “Mercalis and PharmaCord share a noble mission — to enhance the lives of the patients we serve. By joining forces, we are strengthening our ability to provide seamless, fully integrated commercialization support for our life science customers and their patients. I want to express my gratitude to Odyssey for their strategic partnership over the past seven years and look forward to collaborating with Rob and the Permira team to further our shared vision. I am truly excited about the opportunities this merger brings to our combined ecosystem and the positive impact it will have on the healthcare industry.”
“The combination of PharmaCord and Mercalis will form one of the largest independent patient access companies in the market, delivering the full breadth of solutions with greater reach and efficiency,” said Jon Maschmeyer, Partner at Permira and member of PharmaCord’s Board of Directors. “With our support, the combined company will have the resources to continue innovating and catering to the evolving needs of patients and biopharmaceutical companies. We look forward to the opportunity to raise the bar for patient access and drive the industry forward.”
“We are proud to have supported Mercalis in recent years as it has further built its leadership position in the life sciences commercialization sector,” said Jeffrey McKibben, Senior Managing Principal at Odyssey. “The combination with PharmaCord is an attractive opportunity to create a comprehensive solutions provider serving the biopharmaceutical industry. We are grateful to Scott Dulitz and the Mercalis team for our successful partnership and excited for what they will accomplish together with PharmaCord in the future.”
The combined company will be majority owned by funds advised by Permira. Robert Truckenmiller will serve as CEO of the combined company and Scott Dulitz will serve as President. The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, is expected to close by the third quarter of 2025. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
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