LabCorp’s Covance Drug Development group will open a diagnostics lab in Morrisville that will focus on development of precision medicines.

The lab is located at 100 Perimeter Park. A company spokesperson tells WRAL TechWire that the lab occupies 37,000 square feet. Sixty percent of is for laboratory space.

The new operations will focus on what is called “companion diagnostics” which “are used in conjunction with targeted drugs and therapies to identify patients who are likely to benefit from a specific treatment regimen or who may have increased risk for certain side effects,” LabCorp noted.The company participated in “more than 60 companion diagnostic programs” last year.

And the addition is likely to mean more jobs.

“We currently have 25 people at this laboratory who are dedicated to the development of companion diagnostics,” the spokesperson said. “We don’t disclose hiring plans but generally we anticipate increased demand in companion diagnostics.”
The global life science services company, which is based in Burlington, announced the new lab early Wednesday.

The Triangle is a growing hub for research and development of precision medicine companies, and Duke University recently hosted a global precision medicine summit.

LabCorp acquired Covance in 2014 in a deal valued at more than $6 billion.

“Precision medicine presents tremendous opportunities for achieving improved patient outcomes, particularly in the use of targeted therapies and immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, with expansion into other therapeutic areas and rare diseases,” said David King, LabCorp’s chairman and CEO. “By capitalizing on the combined strength of our diagnostics and drug development capabilities, LabCorp is uniquely positioned to guide the delivery of care by helping physicians provide patients with the right drug, at the right time and in the right dosage.”

The lab will focus on what is called “companion diagnostics” which “are used in conjunction with targeted drugs and therapies to identify patients who are likely to benefit from a specific treatment regimen or who may have increased risk for certain side effects,” LabCorp noted.The company participated in “more than 60 companion diagnostic programs” last year.

Through the Convance deal and other acquisitions, LabCorp has embraced end-to-end drug development and commercialization of approved drugs.

What will be in the new lab

The new laboratory will include:

  • Genomics and molecular pathology laboratory to support clinical trials and diagnostic assay development
  • A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) laboratory that houses the first NMR spectrometer approved by the FDA to identify and quantify concentrations of lipoproteins and small molecule metabolites.
  • Manufacturing facilities for diagnostics materials and testing components.

Source: LabCorp

“Covance offers its clients an efficient, comprehensive development pathway for a novel therapy in conjunction with its associated companion diagnostic, from discovery and early development through clinical trials and regulatory approval,” said John Ratliff, CEO of Covance. “Once approved, LabCorp can commercialize the test, allowing doctors to identify the patients best suited for the treatment with greater precision. Our seamless approach can reduce costs for the client and shorten the time to availability for patients.”

LabCorp already has other speciality labs in the region, including the Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology in Research Triangle Park and the Center for Esoteric Testing in Burlington.