KLIFO Creation story

KLIFO Creation story

Where Experience Meets Potential

In the late 2000s, the pharmaceutical industry found itself at a crossroads.
New technologies and treatments were emerging rapidly from biotech start-ups.

Alejandra Mørk had seen it happen again and again.
As a senior executive at Nycomed, she evaluated drug development acquisitions. Many projects looked promising – but failed due to poor study design, lack of regulatory insight, and an inability to translate good science into approvable products.

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“What was missing was someone who could see the full horizon.”

In 2007, Alejandra was approached by Allan, the founder of KLIFO – a small Danish CRO with 10 employees, conducting clinical trials and clinical trial supply since 1994. He asked if she would consider taking over. At the time, she declined. But the idea stayed with her.
Over the summer, the concept matured. She knew many seasoned professionals who had left big pharma after 25–30 years—highly skilled individuals now working as independent consultants. What if you brought them together under one roof? What if you could give biotech companies exactly what they lacked: access to deep expertise – at the moment it mattered most?

When she returned from summer vacation, Alejandra called Allan back and said:
“I want to buy the company. But it has to change.”

The Creation

In 2008, Alejandra Mørk acquired KLIFO. But this wasn’t a classic takeover—it was a reinvention.
From day one, the mission was clear: KLIFO should not be just another CRO. It should become a consulting engineering house for pharmaceutical development, led by senior experts who not only knew the processes—but understood the context. People who could navigate both horizontally across development functions and vertically, from strategy to execution.
“We’re not an army of junior consultants here to fill hours.
We’re the people who step in when it really matters.”
From the very beginning, KLIFO grew 20 – 30% year over year. Not from outbound sales, but from word of mouth. From satisfied clients who felt the difference: Here was a partner that asked the right questions. That challenged assumptions. That didn’t just think in terms of documentation—but in terms of approval.
KLIFO maintained its original foundation in Clinical Operations – but its ambition expanded. In 2008, following requests from clients, KLIFO completed its first clinical trial supply (CTS) packaging and labelling job. Starting with a handful of highly experienced CTS professionals, with experience gained at leading Danish Pharma and Biotech companies, this side of KLIFO’s business has quickly grown. KLIFO’s CTS business outgrew its original facility in 2015, and moved to a new facility in Glostrup. The new facility allowed KLIFO to handle larger projects, not just as a result of added capacity, but also through broadening their scope of services. A decade later, continued expansion of the CTS business meant that KLIFO CTS was ready to move again. KLIFO’s combination of strategic guidance and hands-on delivery continues to fuel growth of this unique business.

The Expansion

By 2018, growth was still accelerating – and now the focus turned outward. Internationalisation began.

Germany

In Germany, KLIFO acquired medicomp, a Munich-based CRO near the Swiss border. The two companies had already collaborated for years, making the integration seamless.

Sweden

In Sweden, KLIFO opened an office in Lund—at the heart of Medicon Village.

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, KLIFO acquired a local company in 2020 and established KLIFO B.V.

Denmark

KLIFO opened a new state-of-the-art CTS packaging, storage and distribution facility in September 2025, a 3-4-fold increase in operational capacity to support a growing number of global phase III projects and increasingly international client base.

The KLIFO promise

Good medicines deserve to reach the market — but success requires more than science. It takes experience, regulatory maturity and flawless execution.

When you work with KLIFO, you get senior professionals who take ownership. We embed into your team, apply vertical insight, and ensure your drug product is developed, documented and delivered right.

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Through collaboration, we can harness our combined expertise and ensure proper project implementation to ensure that your organisation benefits in both the short and long term.

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