PPD Expands Lab Services into China

PPD, Inc. has entered into an exclusive agreement with Peking Union Lawke Biomedical Development Ltd. (PUL), expanding its global central lab services into China. The agreement allows PPD to start providing its full range of central lab services in China to biopharmaceutical clients.
   
“Chinese law makes it extremely difficult to export lab samples to other countries for testing,” said Agostino L. Fede, Ph.D., senior vice president of PPD and head of PPD’s global central labs. “Our agreement with PUL expands our global central lab capabilities in a high growth clinical research market. It also saves our clients time and money by providing lab results more quickly without incurring expenses for exporting shipments.”
   
Under the terms of the agreement, PPD invested in lab equipment located at Peking Union Medical College in the Beijing Zhong Guan Cun Life Sciences Park. The equipment is the same platform PPD uses for its global central labs in Brussels and Highland Heights, KY, and assays performed have been cross validated and calibrated to match instruments at these labs. Also, PUL is interfaced to PPD’s ConneXion computer system for management and reporting.
   
Jian Ho, M.D., Ph.D., medical director at PUL, will oversee the lab while PPD will lead project management and investigator services and work with clients on study setup. As part of the agreement, PUL will conduct chemistry, hematology, urinalysis and hemoglobin A1c tests to support PPD’s clinical trials business in China. PUL will have rights to use the equipment to conduct central lab testing for Chinese clients running clinical trials in China.
   
“PUL provides reference testing services to hospitals, clinics and is the largest reference lab in Beijing,” said Dr. Ho. “We are pleased to use our experience across numerous lab platforms to support PPD’s global central labs.”