Demand for pathology services sparks PPD, NeoGenomics alliance
The contract research organization (CRO) Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC (PPD) has formed a strategic alliance with NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc., a Fort Myers, FL-headquartered company providing cancer genetics testing and information services.
As per the alliance, NeoGenomics will provide lab testing services to support PPD Laboratories’ oncology clinical trial activities in the US, Europe, and Asia.
“Over the past several years, PPD Laboratories’ central lab has been building its pathology and molecular service offerings to support clinical trials through organic growth and relationships with various third-party laboratories,” said Christopher Fikry, MD, executive vice president, PPD Laboratories.
“Given the complexity of today’s global clinical trials and the growing demand for pathology services in the Asia-Pacific region, we recognize that clients need a more integrated solution,” Fikry told us.
In response, PPD Laboratories and NeoGenomics Laboratories have formed a strategic alliance “to complement each other’s respective internal capabilities and provide a global solution for complex development programs.”
Additionally, both companies are expected to invest in PPD’s China- and Singapore-based labs, according to the CRO.
PPD is not providing any additional comment on the investment at this time.
Oncology clinical trials
A provider of cancer-focused genetic testing services, NeoGenomics’s oncology clinical trial experience complements PPD’s internal pathology capabilities, Fikry explained, adding that the firm specifically strengthens the CRO’s offering for oncology trials.
Fikry also said the companies intend to leverage combined data assets “to find more efficient methods of identifying appropriate patients for oncology trials.”
“Together, we plan to provide an integrated global IT solution that will utilize PPD’s award-winning Preclarus system to offer real-time visibility and analytics for informed decision-making,” he explained.
The collaboration will focus on centralized pathology review and specialty lab services, including flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), cytogenetics, molecular assays, and next-generation sequencing.
