ICON plc

ICON plc is a global clinical research organisation (CRO) providing outsourced development and commercialisation services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and government clients. Founded in 1990 in Dublin, Ireland, by a team of five people, the company has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions to a workforce of nearly 40,000 people, working across 95 locations in 55 countries.

The company's work spans three main areas. Outsourced development services guide clients through the clinical development landscape with the aim of bringing drugs and devices to market faster; these services supported 1,465 studies in 2024. Commercialisation services support the launch and market delivery of products. Technology and AI solutions, alongside data analytics, are applied to reduce time to market, cut costs and improve quality.

In 2024, ICON plc worked with 406 customers, involved nearly 48,000 patients and contributed to 18 drug approvals. The organisation describes its teams as working toward a common mission of helping clients deliver life-saving drugs and devices to market faster, acting as trusted partners as the clinical development landscape evolves. Combining experience, expertise, technology and data underpins its approach to delivering results for clients.