As some CMOs have added development services to their offerings, they've differentiated themselves from their counterparts by adding the "D" from development: CDMO. Now, get ready to add a "T," for test.
It's actually not such a new idea; many contract manufacturers count testing among the services they provide. But the emphasis on testing appears to be growing. In the last two weeks, AAIPharma Services and Sigma-Aldrich ($SIAL) have each announced the acquisition of test service providers.
On Monday, Sigma-Aldrich disclosed its $350 million purchase of BioReliance Holdings from Avista Capital Partners. The Rockville, MD, test provider employs more than 650, involved in biologic, specialized toxicology and animal health testing for life sciences clients. Its services span testing for drug development and commercial manufacturing, according to the release.
BioReliance also boasts global test protocol development, the release said, in line with the requirements of various national regulators.
S-A's CEO Rakesh Sachdev said in the announcement that BioReliance's QA/QC testing services encompass "every step of the development and manufacturing process" of biopharmaceuticals.
Separately, AAIPharma announced last week its acquisition of Celsis Analytical Services, a provider of materials testing services. The purchase allows AAIPharma to integrate its development and material testing functions, according to the release.
Celsis offers cGMP-certified lab services in Edison, NJ, and St. Louis. The test centers comprise 65,000 square feet of lab space, the release said. Services include methods validation and testing for biotech, pharma and consumer product manufacturers as well as raw material suppliers.
- here's the Sigma-Aldrich release
- see the AAIPharma announcement