CRO

PPD, NeoGenomics to integrate pathology testing for cancer trials

Pharmaceutical Product Development and NeoGenomics Laboratories plan to integrate their international pathology and molecular testing offerings, with NeoGenomics providing lab services for PPD’s contract research in cancer.

The collaboration will focus on centralized pathology review, as well as specialty lab services including flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, molecular assays, next-generation sequencing and multi-omics multiplexing methodology.

The companies also hope to provide a companion diagnostic development service, from biomarker discovery through regulatory approval and commercialization.

It will mainly employ NeoGenomics’ sites in the U.S. and Europe, though both companies expect to invest in PPD’s existing labs in China and Singapore. In addition, the companies will merge their IT systems, using PPD’s Preclarus management platform.

“NeoGenomics has world-class scientific talent, significant oncology trial experience, and a broad geographic presence that will allow us to further enhance our global laboratory services for oncology trials,” Christopher Fikry, M.D., executive VP of PPD Laboratories, said in a statement.

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“Working with NeoGenomics will enable us to jointly provide a premier global oncology and specialty laboratory solution for our customers,” Fikry said.

In addition, PPD and NeoGenomics plan to assist sponsors in identifying appropriate patients for oncology clinical trials.

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As part of a larger push to tackle the persistent obstacles in enrollment and retention, PPD teamed up with Acurian earlier this year to offer a new “patient concierge service” to guide participants through clinical trials and manage logistics for the duration of a study. The services will include appointment and medication reminders, experience feedback, device training, and transportation and reimbursement support.