Pharma market research acquisition

US-based IMS Health said it has agreed to acquire United Research China (URC) Shanghai, a research company tracking China's over-the-counter and health markets. IMS sells information and management products to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. URC Shanghai sells pharmaceutical market audits to China's OTC and consumer health market. The companies say China accounts for a significant portion of the global OTC market and is expected to grow up to 30% annually over five years. Terms were not disclosed. The transaction follows IMS� agreement with ACNielsen to license OTC data for the US and Japan.