Ricerca Biosciences, LLC, announced the finalization of the acquisition of the Discovery and Preclinical business of MDS Pharma Services with facilities and almost 600 associates in Bothell, Washington; Lyon, France; and Taipei, Taiwan.

The expanded organization provides the biopharmaceutical industry with access to a global contract research organization (CRO) focused on the developmental phase between intellectual property (IP) and submission of the investigational new drug (IND) application. The increased capacity and capabilities deliver numerous benefits, including: Global toxicology allowing coordination of projects between North America, Europe and Asia; Access to cGMP and non-GMP API synthesis and process development for IND-enabling toxicology performed in North America and Europe; Expanded and enhanced DMPK services and efficacy models; Streamlined lead optimization service combining efficacy and biomarker assays with medicinal chemistry; Complete pharmacological profiling services including molecular, cellular, tissue and in vivo assays of development candidates; Radio labelled compound synthesis available for all locations worldwide

Ricerca chairman and CEO Ian Lennox stated, “With facilities worldwide combining local experience, immense scientific expertise and a strong commitment to excellent client service, we provide unique discovery and development services. Our expanded organization is a research partner clients can rely on to think strategically about projects, anticipate needs and rapidly deliver study results.”

Ricerca Biosciences currently has capabilities in discovery and medicinal chemistry, API process chemistry, cGMP manufacturing and scale-up and IND-enabling toxicology.