Thermo Fisher continues to expand clinical research capacity with $59m lab expansion

31-Oct-2022 - Last updated on 31-Oct-2022 at 13:39 GMT

Thermo Fisher’s clinical research subsidiary, PPD, invests $59 million in sample management and testing capacity for vaccines and cell and gene therapy products with its expansion of laboratory operations in Kentucky.

This expansion is part of Thermo Fisher’s global strategy to provide customers central lab and biomarker services for clinical research programs. Much of the expansion will focus on adding to the business’ sample management and testing capacity to support new therapeutics, including vaccines and cell and gene therapy products.

The PPD clinical research business’ 71,600 square-foot operation in Highland Heights, Kentucky currently includes central lab and biomarker operations, and laboratory services for biopharmaceutical customers.

After the expansion, the facility will measure at 114,000 square feet in 2024, and create 200 new jobs over the next five years.

David Johnston, Ph.d., SVP and president, clinical research, Thermo Fisher Scientific stated, “The expansion of our world-class lab in Highland Heights is a key component of our global strategy to provide our customers high-quality central lab and biomarker services to advance their clinical research.”

The company also added a bioanalytical clinical research earlier this month as part of its $97m expansion project. The facility in Richmond, Virginia was added with the specific aim to add liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and advances in drug discovery through biomarkers, immunochemistry, vaccines, and cell and gene therapies services.

In December 2021, Thermo Fisher acquired contract research organization (CRO) PPD in a $17.4bn deal. Shortly after the deal, in July 2022, Thermo Fisher increased its PPD revenue forecast for 2022 to $6.8bn.

Six months after the deal Thermo Fisher raised its syngergy forecast for the PPD merger bringing the total up to $250m.

Thermo Fisher CEO Marc Casper previously stated that the acquisition has led to the company winning “a meaningful number of new customers, some very large ones. And now it’s our job to really exceed expectations.”

Outside of Highland Heights, Thermo Fisher’s clinical research business has global operations in Belgium, Singapore, Ireland, China, and two locations in the United States; Virginia and Wisconsin.

The news of the expanded operations comes on the heels of recent news that Thermo Fisher launched a network, through its subsidiary PPD, that would provide learning materials for industry stakeholders looking to use decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) for drug development.