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By Andrea Harwood Palmer
Fingerpaint Marketing, the health and wellness marketing agency in Saratoga Springs, has acquired the California-based market access and commercialization firm 1798.
The acquisition took place earlier this year.
Fingerpaint works primarily with health care, biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
1798 is a 60-person team located on La Jolla, Calif. The agency specializes in health consulting services to medical device, pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies. The company is named after the year in which the modern health insurance system was created.
Bill McEllen, a partner at Fingerpaint, said the coronavirus shutdown has not slowed down the integration process of the two companies.
“We’ve been integrating the businesses and moving along. As you can imagine, COVID-19 has had us all hopping over the last few months. We’re working with our clients to help them maintain business continuity,” he said.
Fingerpaint employees at all locations have been working from home since mid-March.
“Business continues to go. We acquired 1798, we continue to integrate it into our business, and we continue to move forward. COVID-19 did not have a negative impact on our integration at all. Things are going well,” said McEllen.
The acquisition of 1798 will help Fingerpaint’s clients in analyzing the pricing, reimbursement and financial data of their products, the company said.
“With the acquisition of 1798, Fingerpaint will be able to assure our life sciences clients that we can provide the full continuum of market access planning and commercialization support services to successfully assist them in building their brands and launching new products,” said Ed Mitzen, founder of Fingerpaint. “We are honored and excited that 1798 is joining the Fingerpaint family.”
Roshawn Blunt, a former biopharmaceutical company senior executive with experience in hospital administration and the founder of 1798, said “It was a welcome opportunity to join a great creative powerhouse within the health and wellness industry, and we look forward to a synergistic relationship that will provide elegant solutions and superior outcomes for our clients.”
The acquisition will bring 60 new employees, one new office, 20-30 new clients and potentially an extra $15 million in revenue, the company said.