BioIVT, a leading provider of research models and services for drug and diagnostic development, on 16 Oct 2019, announced that it has acquired PPA Research Group, Inc., a human hematologic product provider, based in Gray, TN. This acquisition will significantly expand BioIVT’s immunology and disease-state product portfolios, enhancing its ability to support immuno-oncology and cell therapy researchers.

PPA Research Group operates full-service donor centres in Johnson City, TN and Berkeley, CA focused primarily on producing leukopaks. Leukopaks contain concentrated leukocytes together with high levels of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Leukopaks are used during drug development for target discovery, validation, lead optimization, and toxicity assays as well as for stem cell and gene therapy research.

In addition to having its own healthy donor collection sites, PPA Research Group has the largest nationwide diseased hematologic tissue collection network with the largest repository of donor profiles in the nation.

“With the addition of PPA Research Group, BioIVT gains greater access to disease-state and control leukopaks, plasma and sera, and extra immune cell processing capabilities, which will allow us to meet growing client demand, particularly in the areas of immuno-oncology and cell therapy,” said BioIVT Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Gatz. “This acquisition, which is BioIVT’s eighth since 2017, furthers our mission of becoming the partner of choice for biopharmaceutical clients and industry experts in speciality application areas.”

“We are excited to join BioIVT and begin the next phase of our company’s growth. This move will allow us to play a greater role in life sciences research and broaden the range of products and services that we can offer to our global clients,” said PPA Research Group Co-founder and CEO Kevin King. “BioIVT’s commitment to providing the best products and customer service equals our own and we are confident that this new relationship will be a clear win for all our clients.”

Underscoring its commitment to providing high-quality products and services, PPA Research Group is HIPAA licensed, FDA registered and compliant, and institutional review board (IRB) compliant.

This purchase builds on BioIVT’s acquisition of Colmar, PA-based Biological Specialty Corporation and its three donor centres in Nov. 2018, and London, UK-based Clinical Trials Laboratory Services’ donor centre on Oct. 2018.

BioIVT will retain PPA Research Group’s two donor centres and all its employees. Financial details about this transaction were not disclosed.