Drug-discovery company increases Phase I research capacities

Montreal, QC – Drug-discovery company MDS Pharma Services says it has expanded and enhanced its facilities in St Laurent, QC, and Neptune, NJ, adding 108 beds for early clinical research. The expansion increases the facilities’ capacities to 304 and 128 beds, respectively, and brings the company’s total Phase I research bed strength to more than 1,000.

The company has eight early clinical research facilities throughout North America and Europe. “We are significantly expanding our clinical capacity to meet the growing needs of our biotechnology, pharmaceutical and generic clients,” says Jerry Merritt, senior vice president and general manager, Early Clinical Research. “These expansions will allow us to accommodate more studies and afford greater scheduling flexibility, which will benefit all three client groups. It will also help us continue to grow faster than the overall Phase I market, as we have done for the last three years.”

With close to 1,000 employees in four buildings totaling 330,000 sq ft, the St Laurent facility is the company’s largest research facility. The location offers a variety of early clinical research services, including clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, statistics and data management, as well as bioanalysis and drug metabolism. The capacity expansion and remodeling provided improved living and recreational spaces for study participants, an improved work environment for client monitors, and accommodation for both short and long term studies.

The Neptune facility is focused solely on early clinical research (particularly clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics).