Oracle picks up Relsys to round out health sciences lineup

Oracle said Monday that it has acquired Relsys International, which provides drug safety and risk management software. 

Specifically, Relsys provides software that tracks adverse events, manages risk and analyzes data for pharma, biotech and other health science companies. 

For its part, Oracle says the deal will "bring significant domain knowledge and experience" to its health sciences unit. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed (statement).

While Oracle's big acquisitions---BEA, Siebel and PeopleSoft---garner the most attention the company's strategy really revolves around picking up smaller rivals that know vertical industries well. Oracle's plan has been to target key verticals that can diversify its business. 

Also see: Oracle delivers solid third quarter; Strong dollar dings fourth quarter outlook

In the last two years, Oracle has picked up two insurance industry players---AdminServer and Skywire Software---as well as Haley, which makes software for the social services industry. On Oracle's fiscal third quarter conference call, president Charles Phillips said that the company's vertical software strategy has allowed it to grow in the downturn because there is less competition. 

Phillips said:

We have vertical applications that are much less penetrated than ERP and with less competition, so that’s part of the growth, and they (SAP) don’t have anything there that I know of.