PPD Adds New Central Laboratory Services to Meet Growing Client Needs

WILMINGTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC (PPD) today announced it has strengthened its central laboratory testing services in infectious diseases, one of the largest therapeutic areas for clinical research and development. PPD has expanded its testing capabilities at its Brussels and Singapore labs, offering clients additional microbiology, peripheral blood mononuclear cell and molecular pathology services.

“They also further strengthen our ability to manage samples and efficiently conduct clinical studies in emerging regions where a growing proportion of infectious disease studies are performed.”

Like its Highland Heights, Ky., facility, PPD’s labs in Brussels and Singapore now offer a full range of microbiology testing services for bacteriology, mycology, parasitology and microbioterrorism pathogens. All three labs can conduct extensive virology testing, including real-time polymerase chain reaction, viral load, genotyping and SNP analysis. The laboratories also have the capability to culture, quantitate, identify and determine antibiotic susceptibility and resistance for aerobic and anaerobic organisms.

“Adding these services to our Brussels and Singapore labs expands our ability to provide clients in Europe and Asia Pacific an important component of laboratory testing for infectious diseases,” said Elena Logan, senior vice president of central labs for PPD. “PPD is unique in that we offer fully integrated clinical trial management and central laboratory services, enabling us to provide increased efficiencies, greater study flexibility and added value to our clients.”

PPD has extensive experience in conducting infectious diseases studies, having conducted nearly 240 studies in this area over the past five years. During that time, central labs has handled almost 50 infectious disease studies that included nearly 25,000 screened patients.

“These new capabilities are significant enhancements to the broad portfolio of scientific and clinical expertise that we bring to the development of infectious disease products on behalf of our clients,” added Carol Olson, M.D., Ph.D., executive medical director and PPD’s therapeutic area head for infectious diseases. “They also further strengthen our ability to manage samples and efficiently conduct clinical studies in emerging regions where a growing proportion of infectious disease studies are performed.”

PPD offers a flexible approach to microbiology testing, performing disk diffusion and/or broth dilution assays to determine antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentrations and provide data to be used for establishing breakpoints. Since infectious disease treatments being tested are not yet on the market, a diagnostic microbiology laboratory in a hospital relying solely on an automated platform may not have the flexibility needed to perform the required antibiotic susceptibility testing.

In addition to the expansion of its microbiology services, PPD also has continued to strengthen its testing services by selectively adding to its menu of validated assays, which enables the company to support the pharmaceutical industry’s growing need for partners with extensive in-house testing platforms. Over the course of the past year, the company validated 100 assays, increasing its total menu of available assays to 800.

PPD has central labs in Belgium, China, Singapore and the United States, and has provided industry-leading laboratory expertise and technologies to biopharmaceutical companies for nearly 25 years.

About PPD

PPD is a leading global contract research organization providing drug discovery, development and lifecycle management services. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 46 countries and more than 12,500 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a commitment to quality to help clients and partners accelerate the delivery of safe and effective therapeutics and maximize the returns on their R&D investments. For more information, visit http://www.ppdi.com.

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions, including statements, expectations and assumptions about the continuing expansion of microbiology laboratory services at PPD’s central labs, contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although PPD attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based and could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Other important factors that could cause future results to differ materially include the following: risks associated with and dependence on strategic relationships; rapid technological advances that make our services less competitive; competition in the outsourcing industry; compliance with drug development regulations; PPD’s ability to win new business; overall global economic conditions; economic conditions, research and development spending, and outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and government-sponsored research sectors; consolidation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; loss, delay or modification of large contracts; higher-than-expected cancellation rates; the rate of conversion of backlog into revenue; actual operating performance; the ability to control SG&A spending; risks associated with acquisitions and investments; the ability to attract, integrate and retain key personnel, including our new chairman and CEO; and changes in the regulation of the drug development process. PPD assumes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update these forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing PPD's estimates or views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.