WuXi PharmaTech, a leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device R&D outsourcing company in China, has announced that it will create a 50-50 joint venture with Covance Inc, one of the world's largest drug development services companies, in a bid to provide world-class preclinical contract research services in China. The proposed joint venture will be located in Suzhou. Covance would make an initial investment of approximately $30 million.