Indiana's Harlan Laboratories has struck up a deal with French CRO Bertin Pharma to pool resources on early development, teaming up to offer drug discovery and translational medicine services.
Under the deal, Harlan will tap Bertin's expertise in immunology and biomarker testing to expand its know-how in molecular profiling and early-phase discovery and development, the company said. Bertin's business model combines R&D outsourcing services with assays and bioreagents, which, combined with Harlan's project management experience and global reach, give the pair a formidable offering in drug development, Harlan discovery director Ciriaco Maraschiello said.
"The new agreement benefits us both strategically and scientifically," Maraschiello said in a statement. "Working together, we will provide the pharmaceutical industry the best team of scientists to increase the likelihood of success for new generation drugs."
For Harlan, the partnership comes on the heels of a wealth of global expansion over the past year or so. In January, the company made a bid to grow its animal model business by opening its first breeding facility in India, and the CRO boosted its presence in Japan, South Korea, Israel and Europe in 2013. In May, the CRO invested in its U.S. operations to expand its share of the market for immunocompromised research models.
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