“The expansion of the lab’s immunochemistry, biomarker, and chromatography services builds on the ongoing investments we’ve made in our Richmond facilities over the years,” said Christopher Fikry, MD, executive vice president of PPD Laboratories.
The Richmond location provides various services such as small molecule, biologics, vaccines, and biomarker testing for all phases of drug development. Specific testing services include drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), immunogenicity, and biomarker quantitation.
Approximately 200 new positions are expected to be added as a result of the expansion, which follows previous additions to the company’s vaccine sciences, biomarker, genomics, and automation services.
Said Fikry, “PPD’s laboratory operations – elements of which have been part of the Richmond community since 1985 – have grown significantly during the past three decades.”
The company today employs more than 1,000 people at the Richmond location which spans more than 250,000 square feet, making it “one of the largest bioanalytical labs in the world,” Fikry told us.
PPD also this month is initiating the addition of 30,000 square feet dedicated to chromatography services. Additionally, work is on track to create a 4,500 square foot cell lab.
The company recently moved its administrative staff into 36,000 square feet at One Holland Place and earlier this year completed an 8,600-square-foot expansion to its sample management and biorepository offerings.