Millipore Expands Drug Discovery and Development Services with BioAnaLab Acquisition

08-11-2009: Millipore Corporation announced it has acquired BioAnaLab, a European-based services provider that specializes in the analysis of biologic drugs and vaccines. The transaction enables Millipore to expand its biopharmaceutical services business into Europe and further strengthens its position as a preferred outsource partner to biopharmaceutical companies.

“As an increasing number of biologics enter the pipeline, companies are leveraging Millipore’s ligand binding assay expertise to help them evaluate the efficacy of these drugs and achieve regulatory compliance,” said Jonathan DiVincenzo, President of Millipore’s Bioscience Division. “Our acquisition of BioAnaLab will allow us to build on our reputation as a trusted outsource partner in North America by establishing a presence in the fast-growing European biotech market. BioAnaLab will add cGMP support testing capabilities to our portfolio, a solid customer base, and a team of highly talented services professionals with expertise in emerging scientific disciplines.”

Based in Oxford, United Kingdom, BioAnaLab was spun out of the University of Oxford in 2002 to meet the unique requirements of the biopharmaceutical industry. The Company helps its customers better understand the safety and efficacy of biologic drugs and vaccines by providing a broad range of services to assist with evaluating and advancing these therapeutics from the drug development pipeline to the market. Services offered by BioAnaLab include assay transfer/development, validation & sample analysis, pharmacokinetics/ toxicokinetics, immunogenicity, biological potency, and vaccine services. Millipore will bring expertise in biomarker analytical services to strengthen BioAnaLab’s current offering in that area.

BioAnaLab’s facility in Oxford, UK will complement Millipore’s existing facility for large molecule bioanalytical services in St. Charles, Missouri. Both facilities are audited by their national regulatory agencies. Geoff Hale will remain with Millipore and become Director of Biopharma Services in Europe. He will work closely with Ron Bowsher, Ph.D., Millipore’s Chief Scientist for Biopharmaceutical Services in the United States who recently received a prestigious award for his ground-breaking work in the industry.