SRA buys health consultancy

SRA International Inc., a provider of technology and strategic consulting services to the government, is acquiring Constella Group LLC, a privately held global health consulting company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Durham, N.C., company will form the foundation of SRA's new health business unit, which will be headed by Constella's founder and chief executive, Don Holzworth, said Stan Sloane, SRA's president and chief executive.

The purchase is SRA's first acquisition since Sloane succeeded Renny DiPentima as president and CEO of the Fairfax, Va., company in April.

Constella has more than 1,500 employees organized into three related services: domestic health sciences, international health development and global drug development.

The domestic health business provides research, technology, communications and strategy support to government agencies; the international health development business helps emerging nations devise and implement health policy, primarily through contracts with the United States and Britain; and the global drug development business advises pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device firms on how to develop products from concept to market.

Last year, in a move furthering its goal of building a global platform for contract drug and device development services, Constella acquired Origin Pharmaceuticals, a U.K.-based international contract research organization with 100 employees, and Lineberry Research Associates of Research Triangle Park, N.C., a contract research organization with 75 employees.

Excluding pre-acquisition revenue for those two companies, Constella's revenue in 2006 was about $169 million, SRA said.

The sale is expected to be completed within a month, subject to the customary closing conditions and waiting period.

SRA of Fairfax, Va., ranks No. 33 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.