Echo International - A Multi-Language Services Provider

Translating 2.6 Million+ Characters in 45 days for a Pharmaceutical Project An incredible blend of human translation and technology resulted in fast and accurate translation of a huge dataset

Ulatus appeared to be very professional and true experts in pharmaceutical translation. We were extremely impressed by the ability to deliver each milestone in superb quality. It’s a challenge to find true experts in Japanese>English pharmaceutical translations who can handle such a large scope in a limited time. 

Challenges

• Ensuring High Accuracy and Expertise for High-Volume Pharmaceutical Translation The translated files were required for an upcoming external regulatory review in the US. Echo International’s client had developed and marketed a unique pharmaceutical product. Additional studies done by their Japanese partner showed that the product could also treat another disease. This data was available only in Japanese. Thus, the client in the US needed everything in English to receive approval in the US. The files included Safety Analysis Sets, Adverse Event Reports, Clinical Laboratory Test Findings, Plasma Drug Concentration Reports, Genetic Studies, Pre-Consultation for Drug Application, Clinical Study, Protocols, and Case Reports. The content was very technical and heavy on pharmaceutical terminology. We had to ensure that our translation was accurate and deploy strong project management skills to complete this high volume in 45 days. The PM team faced the challenge of utilizing every minute efficiently while employing different aspects of handling excel files, scanned templates, and handwritten content. Such file formats add more time to the overall translation timeline.

How Ulatus Overcame the Challenges?

• Delivering a trial translation test to ensure we met client expectations We did a trial translation for Echo International since this was a large assignment and we wanted to ensure that our quality met their expectation given the nature of the assignment. Echo International was impressed with the trial quality.
• Picking our 10 best pharmaceutical translators From our vast database, we selected 10 of our best translators with high experience and quality in translating pharmaceutical assignments. To satisfy the client, we also shared their profiles, which the client greatly appreciated.
• Using CAT Tool (TRADOS) for translation Given the tight timelines, we used TRADOS so that the translation could take place at a faster pace and we could maintain consistency across the multiple files.
• Managing translators’ work and collating translation memories In collaboration with Echo International's project managers, we briefed our translators meticulously and were available for any queries or concerns. The technical team carefully collated translation memories of each file and submitted an up-to-date translation memory with each batch delivery.
• Preparing templates in-house for faster translation Our joint PM team created templates, which were used during the translation process. The templates helped the translation team work faster, facilitated the formatting requirement, and allowed the translators to focus on the actual translation of the text.
• Sending batch-wise deliveries to the client We sent batches to Echo International as and when the translation was complete. This gave them time to conduct quality checks at their end. We were really glad to learn that Echo International’s QC team did not have any critical feedback or comments on our work.
• Implementing quality measures to ensure high accuracy of translation Although the client had requested only translation service, we implemented a QA step where our Japanese reviewer checked the translated files for accuracy and consistency. We ensured all numbers matched the source text and no information from the handwritten text was lost in translation.

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