Oracle to buy drug software maker for undisclosed sum

Oracle said yesterday it is purchasing Relsys International, a maker of drug safety and risk management software, a move that ties into its ongoing strategy to tap verticals. Terms were not disclosed.

Many of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies use Relsys' software, which pharmaceuticals, biotech companies and other organizations use to track and analyze safety-related data. The addition of Relsys to Oracle is expected to create a portfolio of software applications that support drug safety processes across clinical development, post-market surveillance and patient care.

The Irvine, California, company will "bring significant domain knowledge and experience" to Oracle's health sciences global business unit, Oracle said in a statement.

The acquisition, which is expected to close by June, is designed to bolster Oracle's Health Sciences Global Business Unit, formed last summer. Health science is one of a number of industry sectors into which Oracle is delving via a buying spree. But health care is not the only vertical Oracle is pursuing in search of new growth, and its battle against its rival in the ERP (enterprise resource planning) arena, SAP.

Oracle is best known for multibillion-dollar acquisitions of large rivals like PeopleSoft ($10.3 billion), Siebel ($5.85 billion), Hyperion ($3.3 billion) and BEA ($8.5 billion). But for a little over a year, Oracle has been snapping up small companies, usually with an industry focus, and often on the cheap. (See: Oracle to acquire BEA Systems for $8.5 billion / Oracle to buy Hyperion for $3.3 billion)

Last year, Oracle bought two companies that make software for the insurance industry - AdminServer and Skywire Software. And in October, it scooped up Primavera, a top PPM (project portfolio management) vendor with customers in verticals such as construction and utilities. (See: Oracle to acquire insurance software company Skywire Software)