UDG said its acquisition of CanaleComm was for an initial cash sum of $20m (£15.5m), to be followed by a further sum of $11m (£8.5m) after three years, depending on profits.
CanaleComm, which has a team of 30 people and specialises in life sciences, will join UDG Healthcare’s global agency network Ashfield Healthcare Communications, which includes Incisive, Pegasus and Galliard in the UK.
The agency provides corporate and investor comms, PR and creative services to biotech, biopharma, digital health and genomics companies.
CanaleComm founder and chief executive Carin Canale-Theakston said: "The acquisition of CanaleComm by UDG Healthcare and the joining of forces with Ashfield Healthcare Communications' network is the ideal platform as we look to grow a more robust service offering for our clients."
Canale-Theakston added that UDG's focus on life-sciences made the acquisition a strong proposition.
Matt Jacobson, executive director of Ashfield Healthcare Communications, said: "[CanaleComm] brings a distinct and highly complementary service offering for our healthcare and life-sciences clients and further strengthen our US footprint especially in the West Coast biotech industry."
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