FutureMeds Acquires Hera: Building Stronger Patient Pathways in Bulgaria

FutureMeds acquires Medical Center Hera, expanding local reach and creating a more

connected platform for clinical trial delivery.

Clinical trials often struggle because the pathways connecting patients, physicians, investigators and research sites are fragmented.

In Bulgaria, stronger local connections can help sponsors and CROs develop more realistic recruitment plans, enable physicians to identify suitable research opportunities and make it easier for patients to participate closer to home.

FutureMeds' acquisition of Medical Center Hera will strengthen these connections and expand patient access to clinical research across Sofia, Plovdiv, Montana and Kyustendil.

The organisations bring together Hera’s established medical community and patient relationships with FutureMeds’ dedicated research-site model, European network and clinical research infrastructure.

“Our Bulgarian team have built a strong reputation, showing what can be achieved when a dedicated site model is combined with close collaboration across local healthcare. The acquisition of Medical Center Hera allows us to build on that approach. By bringing Hera’s medical community together with our clinical research infrastructure, we can create a stronger and more predictable platform for sponsors and CROs operating in Bulgaria. FutureMeds Bulgaria will become one of the key players on the market allowing patients to benefit from participation in a variety of clinical trials.”

— Dr Radoslaw Janiak, CEO of FutureMeds

Complementary strengths and a shared culture

FutureMeds Site business operates a network of dedicated research sites across seven European countries, combining strong local teams with shared expertise in quality, feasibility, patient engagement and study operations.

In Bulgaria, FutureMeds has established strong client relationships and a proven delivery model, with particular expertise in oncology. Hera complements this with a multidisciplinary medical network of more than 70 specialists, established patient relationships and capabilities across CNS and other strategic therapeutic areas.

Since 2019, Hera has supported more than 100,000 patients and participated in more than 200 clinical trials and joined prominent CRO site programmes.

Hera’s medical community includes specialists in cardiology, respiratory medicine, endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurology, dermatology, rheumatology and internal medicine.

The organisations also share a practical, patient-focused approach. Both believe that successful trials depend on focus, trusted local healthcare relationships and experienced teams that understand the communities they serve.

“Hera’s team is excited about FutureMeds' acquisition of Hera and looks forward to contributing to its mission of expanding access to clinical research. We share a patient-focused culture and a practical approach to study delivery. The acquisition allows us to connect our local expertise and relationships with a wider European network while keeping our focus on the patients and programmes we support.”

— Emil Kostov, Founder and Director of Medical Center Hera.

What this development means for sponsors and CROs

The organisations bring together complementary therapeutic capabilities, medical relationships and dedicated research infrastructure.

For clients, this is expected to provide:

• access to a broader network of investigators and medical specialists

  
  

• wider therapeutic-area coverage, including stronger CNS capabilities

  
  

• patient and referral pathways across Sofia, Plovdiv, Montana and Kyustendil

  
  

• closer links between routine healthcare and clinical research

  
  

• shared feasibility, quality and operational support

  
  

• access to FutureMeds’ wider European network and decentralised trial services

The aim is to offer clients a more connected approach, from early feasibility and patient-pathway planning through study start-up, recruitment and delivery.

FutureMeds will assess Hera’s investigator experience, facilities, patient pathways and available capacity before including specific recruitment projections in client proposals. This will help ensure that feasibility remains grounded in verified local access and operational readiness.

Supporting the digitalisation of trial delivery

FutureMeds' acquisition of Hera also creates a stronger foundation for introducing digital tools across the Bulgarian network.

Over time, Hera will gain access to selected FutureMeds systems, digital workspaces and operational tools designed to support more efficient study management, collaboration and information security.

Digitalisation will not replace the judgement of local research teams or the relationships they have built with patients and physicians. Its role will be to reduce administrative burden, improve visibility and help teams deliver studies more consistently.

Preserving local strengths

Hera will continue under the leadership of Emil Kostov and retain its current operating model.

FutureMeds will initially provide additional support in areas including IT, feasibility and central operations, helping Hera pursue new study opportunities while allowing its medical and research teams to remain focused on patients and active programmes.

The organisations will also take time to understand what already works well at Hera. Successful local practices and relationships will be protected and, where relevant, shared more widely across FutureMeds.

The objective is to build on Hera’s approach by connecting it with wider expertise, infrastructure and international opportunities.

A more connected Bulgarian research network

FutureMeds’ wider strategy is to build a European network that combines consistent delivery standards with strong local teams and close relationships across healthcare communities.

“FutureMeds' acquisition of Hera gives us a more connected platform across Bulgaria,” said Wojciech Szczepanik, EVP of Site Operations at FutureMeds.

“Our network connects established medical relationships with dedicated research infrastructure and broader operational support. For clients, this means stronger patient pathways, wider therapeutic coverage and a better foundation for consistent and increasingly digital study delivery. For patients and investigators, it creates more connections to international clinical research while keeping important decisions close to the local teams delivering each study.”

For sponsors and CROs, the combined capabilities should make it easier to consider Bulgaria as part of a wider European development strategy.

For physicians and research professionals, they create closer links to international studies, shared expertise and new opportunities to contribute to the development of potential treatments.

For patients, they create the potential for more clinical trial opportunities to become available through healthcare professionals and local relationships they already know and trust.

To discuss FutureMeds’ expanded capabilities in Bulgaria or an upcoming study, contact us https://www.futuremeds.com/partner-contact