I-many is picking up both assets and clients for its contract-management technology

In a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary announcement earlier this month, I-Many (Edison, NJ) announced that it had “entered into discussions” with Edge Dynamics (Redwood City, CA) to acquire the firm. It is rare to pre-announce a negotiation—one possible reason would be to allay the fears of existing Edge customers that there will be a continuation of services if the acquisition goes through. (And if it doesn’t, the outlook could be grim.)

There was no on-the-record follow-up to the earlier announcement, but an I-many spokesperson noted that the company is “on a roll” with both acquisitions and new clients since it announced its next-generation platform in mid-2007; see also "A Holistic Approach to Contract Management,”). In February, the company acquired the ClaimRight data-validation software business from GHX Inc (Denver), an online exchange for healthcare products. And in the fall, Pfizer made a major commitment to I-Many’s new software, as well as entered into a developmental project with it.

I-many (and to some degree, Edge Dynamics) are focused on managing the cost and inventory data flowing between trading partners and payors. I-many’s platform ensures that the data is correctly compiled for reporting pricing to government payors, or for meeting contract terms for rebates or chargebacks. Edge has specialized in managing fee-for-service agreements between manufacturers and wholesalers.