SGS Life Science Services is set to open its new bio/pharmaceutical quality control laboratory at Villeneuve La Garenne, a Paris suburb, replacing an existing facility in Clichy.

The new state-of-the-art laboratory, opening June 29, 2015 will incorporate best-in-class infrastructure and equipment to meet the current and future demands of its bio/pharmaceutical clients. This multi-million euro investment will serve the French market, support biologics development, and will operate under good manufacturing practice (GMP) protocols.

The 2,100 square meter facility is strategically located near the main logistics hubs and has been designed and built specifically for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry, targeting the reduction of sample processing times through increased operational efficiency. All services currently available in Clichy will be transferred to Villeneuve La Garenne, with a special emphasis on safety equipment (fume hoods) to treat organic products and classified carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic (CMR) substances. At the new site, SGS will introduce services to address the growing biopharmaceutical pipeline with capabilities for mycoplasma tests and amino acid analysis.

The contamination of cell cultures by mycoplasma is a major risk for the biopharmaceutical industry. By their diversity, their small size and lack of bacterial wall, these microorganisms are not detectable visually, are very difficult to remove and can compromise the quality of biologic medicines. To meet the needs of its customers, SGS has created a new Mycoplasma detection department.

“By recruiting an expert project manager, Ms. Aude Sanchez, engineer in biotechnologies (ENSTBB) and in close collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific, SGS has the means to provide innovative solutions, performance, and reliability to its customers”, said Paul Beyou, laboratory director for life science services Villeneuve La Garenne. “In addition to fluorescence detection methods and automated DNA extraction combined with qPCR, SGS can detect over 90 species of mycoplasmas and achieve results in 48-72 hours.”

The creation of this new laboratory confirms the SGS Group’s commitment to increase its capacity and expand its service offering in France. Additionally, this development complements the bioanalytical capabilities of its other French laboratory based in Poitiers.