The accreditation is widely used benchmark for US federal testing facilities and is directly related to the laboratory’s ability to generate technically valid results. Proteomics said the accreditation requires the premises, staff and management to continually meet high standards.
Other facilities have received the accreditation but this is the first time a specialist proteomics laboratory has received it. Proteomics believes gaining the accreditation will help its business by assuring clients that its laboratory meets the most stringent standards.
Furthermore the laboratory will be audited annually to ensure that the laboratory still meets the standard needed for accreditation by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
The NATA accreditation has equivalents around the world, such as the NABL in India, Laboratory Accreditation Bureau in the US and the UKAS in the UK.
Protein growth
Proteomics is hoping the accreditation will give it the edge in the market for protein development services. To help clients with product development the company offers protein identification, analysis and characterisation and more specialist services, such as de novo proteome mapping.
The market for these services is growing, according to Proteomics, because of the increase in development of protein-based drugs and biosimilars. A recent report from RNCOS highlighted biosimilars as a driving force in the therapeutic protein market.
Growth in demand for these, and rising use of beta interferon, G-CSF and coagulation factors, will result in the therapeutic protein market being worth $77bn (€53.8bn) by 2011, according to RNCOS.
Richard Lipscombe, managing director or Proteomics, believes his company can capture some the rising development spending because the services it offers are “essential for both fundamental research and fast product approvals in new markets”.