Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC (PPD) has expanded its GMP lab operations in Athlone, Ireland, as part of its ongoing efforts to meet capacity needs and expand its lab services offerings.
 
The lab has added 4,300 sq.-ft. of new lab space for analytical testing of biopharmaceuticals and inhalation devices. The Athlone GMP facility now totals more than 41,500 sq.-ft. of analytical testing and support space.
 
“The expansion of the Athlone GMP lab represents our ongoing investment in the continued growth of our contract research operations in Ireland and around the world to provide our clients with best-in-class laboratory services and state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation,” said David Johnston, Ph.D., executive vice president of global laboratory services for PPD Laboratories. “Our ability to deliver global scientific, technical and development expertise with expanded laboratory capacity enables us to meet the growing demand for these services in Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.”
 
The Athlone lab services include analytical testing services, method development and validation, stability testing, and quality control and release testing. The lab also provides regulatory services, product licensing and marketed product support, including qualified person (QP) services for all drug dosage forms.
 
PPD opened the Athlone lab in 2010 and, with this latest expansion, will employ nearly 200 people at the facility.