NextGen focuses on providing gene-to-protein products and services, while Paragon provides contract research and manufacturing services in support of developing biologics, thus the coalition integrates and expands the scope of services that the two companies can offer their clients, both in Europe and the US, including molecular biology, protein production, proteomics, functional assay development, biomarker discovery and monitoring.

NextGen said the move is part of its commitment to expand its fee for service offerings through strategic partnerships, in addition to adding new capabilities in house.

In November, the firm launched a number of new protein biomarker services to further assist firms with their clinical biomarker discovery and development programs.

The new offerings included assay development and validation; monitoring and verification of protein biomarkers from preclinical and clinical samples; and identification of putative protein biomarkers and proteins of interest.

At the time the company had also just appointed a new CEO, Dr Mike Pisano, who joined the firm from Proteomic Research Services, which NextGen acquired in 2006.

Meanwhile, this week UK firm Argenta Discovery said it can now offer integrated electrophysiology and hERG screening services through a new alliance with a fellow domestic enterprise, NeuroSolutions.

Argenta said the collaboration will enable it to provide its contract research clients with an "expanded assay development and screening resource", either as part of an integrated drug discovery programme, or as a stand-alone service.

Company CEO Dr Christopher Ashton said: "Argenta has been looking at ways of enhancing its biochemistry and in vitro screening capabilities".

This alliance will enable Argenta to provide assay development and compound screening services across an even wider range of small molecule gene families".

The drug discovery services already provided by the firm's contract research division to assist biopharma firms in converting and optimising hits and leads into potential drug candidates include medicinal chemistry, computer-aided drug design (CADD), biochemistry, in vitro screening and early absorption, metabolism, distribution and elimination (ADME) studies.