20 May 2022
The science behind the development of gene- and cell-based therapies is as granular as it gets. Precision in this field demands innovative technology, top-tier expertise and state-of-the-art facilities. With enhanced capacity and earlier start times to further support more of your cell and gene therapy developments, Labcorp has completed a second phased investment of over $30 million to further expand Labcorp’s comprehensive nonclinical Madison, Wisconsin site. This advancement complements other significant Labcorp investments dedicated to cell and gene therapy offerings to better align our laboratories for enhanced capabilities and support.
Labcorp’s ethos behind this expansion is to follow the transformative cutting-edge advances in science to their therapeutic success. The scientific innovation at the Madison site begins with the building itself. An entire wing dedicated to cell therapy and gene therapy non-GLP and GLP studies. The entire infrastructure contains 29 flexible species study rooms, more than tripling the original capacity and adding options for European style pen housing. As an added enhancement, each of these rooms is connected to its own dedicated high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filtration system. Advanced filtration and housing models create a highly stable environment, which is critical for the welfare of sensitive transplantation and immunocompromised models and help maintain the integrity of your product evaluation.
Three surgery suites are outfitted with specialized equipment to accommodate a range of large and small animal studies including a dedicated ocular surgery suite, a stereotaxic small animal suite and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) guided surgery suite. Peter Sonnentag, Labcorp preclinical ocular toxicology and DMPK Lead, explains the significance of the new ocular space, “Dedicated ocular dosing, examination and imaging equipment within the purpose-built gene- and cell-therapy space allow our ocular staff and collaborators to deliver the high-quality study execution our clients expect without compromising animal health or study data.”
Within the stereotactic surgery suite, scientists are empowered to deliver a cell or a gene therapy directly into targeted brain regions of small animals. Likewise, the purpose-built MRI-guided dosing suite enables an imaged approach, and if desired confirmation of delivery, to better align with procedures used in clinical trials. Through this, Labcorp’s customers and scientists gain safety insight into the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions, like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of finding new therapies or potentially even a cure. Our suite offers industry-leading capabilities along with the bespoke surgical space to schedule more of your stereotactic or MRI-guided studies . “Stereotactic and MRI-guided delivery to the brain is a highly specialized and cutting-edge approach for cell and gene therapies,” says Erin Slosarek, CNS delivery lead at Labcorp. “This is a frequent request in the early development space, which requires expertise that is not universally available in every CRO. Labcorp has melded the surgical and technical expertise to exceed the needs of our customers.”
Within the walls of the new analytical laboratories, you’ll find additional space and scientists with the latest technologies ready to explore groundbreaking analytical areas of research for your cell and gene therapeutics. The expanded wet lab adds 1200 square feet of additional space to conduct immune monitoring, biodistribution and molecular/protein signatures of said products.
What’s the urgency and objective with this expansion, technology and capacity? By following the science and investing in cell and gene therapy from early development through our clinical support services, the goal is to accelerate your studies and help you develop life-saving and -changing treatments for patients, families and support systems. “We are pushing forward with the hope that what’s tested in our labs, with our clients, will one day improve patients’ quality of life,” says Brian McIntosh, PhD, director of scientific experts and preclinical cell and gene therapy lead Labcorp. “The collaboration we do at every phase of development enables safe therapies to more rapidly progress through development and come on the market to treat debilitating diseases. And when that happens, patients can receive that quality therapy and live less painful, disease free and longer rewarding lives. Highlighting why Labcorp’s taking these steps forward. It is imperative that Labcorp deliver to our clients and patients with quality and precision.”