Global Central Laboratory Services

Combine the expertise of a leading CRO with global central laboratories that are among the world’s largest dedicated exclusively to clinical trials. PPD’s global central labs fully support your drug development programs with:

Extensive global reach
Logistical expertise
Highly customized and flexible services
Strong and consistent science, and therapeutic expertise
High quality performance (98.5 percent data acceptance rate)
Efficient, accurate and rapid sample collection
State-of-the art laboratories with all relevant accreditations and certifications

To learn more about our global central labs, view our online tour.

Extensive Global Reach
Through strategically located facilities in North America and Europe, and with the use of sophisticated logistics and courier services, we provide clinical laboratory services to investigator sites in virtually every country of the world. Global standard operating procedures and weekly cross-validation of laboratory results between facilities ensure consistency and provide global combinable data throughout each study.

Logistical Expertise
PPD has negotiated worldwide delivery contracts for fast, accurate and cost-efficient transportation services. Our strategic partnerships with vendors and global courier services expedite delivery of trial samples and supplies, providing up-to-the-minute tracking details and significantly reducing errors. PPD can also acquire and validate custom data collections kits and arrange for any third-party testing that may be necessary for more specialized assays.

Highly Customized Service
With operations solely dedicated to clinical trial testing, we understand the larger issues of drug development and can assist with protocol development to select the most appropriate tests for both safety and efficacy.

PPD’s customized database and collection system offer:

Built-in flexibility in protocol setup
Dedicated project management for Phase I-IV trials
A comprehensive menu of tests (Adobe Acrobat file, 43 KB)
Efficient sample collection, management, storage and handling
Global logistics management through robust information systems
Customized electronic reporting of lab results, study progress and queries

Our data management capabilities cover essential reporting formats and provide standard data that integrates easily into any client-specified clinical data management system. Secure client extranets allow all members of the project team to review daily lab results and run customized reports.

Strong and Consistent Science
PPD’s global central labs maintain the highest scientific standards by an ongoing quality improvement process that includes external proficiency testing. Our central labs are also certified by College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) accreditation, along with additional industry certifications.

A work force of more than 300 trained scientists, technicians and project managers have a broad range of therapeutic expertise as well as training and certification in applicable areas. In addition, all of our lab personnel undergo intensive training in analytical procedures to ensure specimens and data are treated with the specific care needed to meet patient safety requirements and study objectives.

High Quality Performance
Our attention to detail is an attribute that sets PPD apart from other clinical laboratories. With our high level of accuracy (98.5 percent data acceptance rate), the number of test subjects required is reduced, saving you time and money.

Each project is assigned a dedicated manager to coordinate the service teams and deliver high-quality outcomes by:

Performing ongoing monitoring
Engaging in proactive communications
Ascertaining risk management
Handling all administrative and clinical management support for worldwide sites
Ensuring timely resolution of any protocol-specific issues and smooth logistical operations

Efficient, Accurate, Rapid Sample Collection
PPD’s unique, simplified specimen labeling system provides an efficient, accurate and rapid sample collection process.

Facilities
Our central laboratories in Highland Heights, Ky., in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area and Zaventem, Belgium, in the Brussels area are strategically located in or at key logistics hubs. Our combined clinical lab operations include support services, data management, logistics and long-term sample storage operations. Our facilities include:

State-of-the art clinical laboratories with high-throughput testing
Multiple walk-in freezers, refrigerators and more than 120 alarmed -70°C freezers for long-term storage
Uninterruptible back-up power supply with dedicated diesel-fueled generators

PPD offers its full range of highly customized central lab services in China through an agreement with Peking Union Lawke Biomedical Development Limited (PUL). Laboratory equipment in Beijing is identical to platforms located at our global central labs in Belgium and the United States, and assays performed have been extensively cross-validated and precisely calibrated to match instruments at these labs. PPD provides project management, investigator services and study setup, while PUL oversees the lab and conducts tests to support PPD's clinical trials business in China.

Certification
Global central labs at PPD are certified and accredited by:

College of American Pathologists (CAP) U.S. (Adobe Acrobat file, 150 Kb), EU (Adobe Acrobat file, 445 Kb)
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) (Adobe Acrobat file, 444 Kb)
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (Adobe Acrobat file, 750 Kb), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Part III Lipid Standardization Program
National Glycomehemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP)