Build it, and they will come. RSSL is upping services for small- and midsized biotechs with the launch of a new dedicated development platform called Innovation Hub.
The Reading, U.K.-based pharma and food CRO will support "start-ups, spin-outs and other early-stage biotech organizations," with lab space and specialists to de-risk and "fast-track" development programs, Jacinta George, managing director of RSSL, said in a Feb. 20 press release.
New services for these clients come in the form of four models. The first, Innovate, includes access to lab space and equipment and the option for services as needed. The second, Forge, offers space, equipment and services along with consultants for training and regulatory compliance.
A third model, dubbed Launchpad, is targeted to clients seeking commercial development support, RSSL said in the release. The fourth, called 360, manages the full development pipeline, from concept to commercialization.
The Innovation Hub is part of a wider expansion strategy that will add to RSSL’s services and operational capacity, according to the company. The CRO plans to boost employment from 350 to more than 500 employees over the next three years by doubling its scientist head count.
The news is the second major business development for RSSL in recent months. Back in November, the CRO opened a new analytical testing center that includes 26,000 square feet of laboratory space.
RSSL's pharmaceutical industry services include GMP and CMC lab testing, biologics analysis services, storage stability testing, and sterility and contamination testing. The CRO also offers training and consulting.