SAN DIEGO, March 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BioDuro LLC, a leading global life sciences contract research and development organization, announced today the acquisition of Molecular Response LLC and its world-class translational oncology research platform, including its biobank of >100,000 viable tumor specimens. BioDuro customers can now access this platform to support a range of drug discovery oncology and immunooncology studies--from immunophenotyping screens to xenograft pharmacology studies.

The Molecular Response oncology platform comprises the world's largest collection of viable tumor specimens. These specimens maintain the complexity and heterogeneity of the patient cancer, including tumor, immune and stromal cells, enabling large-scale in vitro and in vivo studies that are otherwise impossible to perform.

"We are committed to growing BioDuro into a complete chemistry and biology provider for our clients, and unique platforms in oncology are a critical centerpiece of that strategy," said TJ Deng, General Manager for BioDuro Discovery. "The Molecular Response acquisition immediately strengthens our capability and provides our clients a continuous set of capability, enabling our customers to start with our chemistry services through preclinical and translational oncology studies, all the way to IND."

BioDuro biology maintains a state-of-the-art in vivo oncology capability, including 18,000 sq ft AAALAC accredited vivarium, cell-derived xenograft (CDX), patient-derived xenograft (PDX), and syngeneic oncology models, with animal imaging and multi-color flow cytometry for immune cell analysis. BioDuro recently launched hTME-3DX Screen and Verify, providing a combination of humanized 3D tumor models in vitro, and follow-on in vivo PDX capability, matched to same primary patient sample.

As part of the acquisition, Molecular Response CEO, Thomas B. Broudy, PhD will assume the role of Executive Vice President, Translational Sciences & Strategy.

"The combination of operational scale and platform depth allows our partners to investigate a virtually unlimited number of drug discovery programs—from targeting T-cell checkpoint biology to defining biomarkers predictive of response," said Broudy. "The platform has been validated through hundreds of pharma and biotech preclinical and translational oncology research studies, and we are now excited to support BioDuro global customers with this world-class set of solutions."

BioDuro will maintain Molecular Response as a wholly-owned subsidiary, growing its ongoing operations in Shanghai, Beijing and San Diego with new service offerings using the biobank platform. Molecular Response will continue all business development efforts to sell biospecimens to strategic partners interested in tissue acquisition to support internal capabilities.

BioDuro is a leading, global life sciences research and development organization that provides biopharmaceutical clients and partners with comprehensive, fully integrated drug discovery services spanning target identification to IND filing, through to GMP manufacture of drug substance for clinical trials. With depth and breadth of therapeutic expertise in small and large molecule discovery, development and scale up, combined with unique technology platforms such as high content 3D drug screening and bioavailability enhancement of insoluble compounds, BioDuro is well positioned to help biopharmaceutical partners significantly accelerate their lead discovery programs, and de-risk development programs for higher value outcomes. Visit www.bioduro.com

SOURCE: BioDuro LLC