Scientific consultancy RSSL scooped the award for best CRO by successfully demonstrating the far-reaching impact of its expertise in microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, microscopy, and training services which have been key to the development, regulatory approval, launch and commercial success of global drug products and medical devices.

Presented with clear evidence of innovation, problem-solving and strong relationships with some of the industry’s leading pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, the judges commended RSSL for the quality of its services and tailored support - with particular recognition given to its out-of-hours, global emergency response service.

Commenting on the award win, Jacinta George, managing director for RSSL said:

"We are delighted to receive this acknowledgment at one of the most highly-respected events in the life sciences calendar." "We know that the competition was extremely tough, so to be crowned winner of the CRO category is a significant achievement."

"The fact that our analytical emergency response service was highlighted by the judges is particularly gratifying.  This unique service - which has already enabled us to solve more than 15,000 emergency incidents ranging from urgent risk assessment of contaminants to potential counterfeit cases - is part of our drive to further improve the customer experience."

"We are exceptionally proud of our life-changing science and results, so recognition from our peers in the form of this OBN award helps to strengthen our resolve to raise the bar even higher.”

Judged by an independent panel of industry experts, the OBN Awards celebrates the most inspiring and innovative UK-based companies across biotech, medtech, imaging, digital, and synthetic biology. This year's awards evening was held at the examination schools in central Oxford and attended by around 250 guests from across the life sciences industry.