MPI Research And Shanghai Medicilon Form Shanghai-Based Joint Venture

SHANGHAI – Michigan-based MPI Research has entered into a joint venture with Shanghai Medicilon to establish a preclinical research center in Shanghai that meets U.S. FDA and other international regulatory standards, the companies announced Dec 19.

The 50,000 square-foot facility will be located at Chuansha Economic Park in the Pudong district of Shanghai, and will open in early 2009.

Under the JV, a new company, called Medicilon-MPI Preclinical Research (Shanghai) will be formed, and MPI and Medicilon will act as independent parent companies.

“A substantial investment will be made in the new facility,” Chen Chunlin, co-founder of Medicilon and Shanghai Medicilon, told PharmAsia News.

Medicilon declined to disclose financial terms.

“Dr. Chen Chunlin will be the CEO of the joint venture as well,” Shanghai Medicilon VP Zhang Jintao told PharmAsia News.

“In time, Medicilon preclinical department will also become a part of the joint venture’s Shanghai operations,” added Zhang.

Shanghai Medicilon – located in Shanghai at the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park – was founded in 2004 to provide drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

“Around 300 employees will be working for the new JV within the next couple of years,” said Zhang. “MPI and Medicilon will share the ownership of the new JV equally.”

By 2009, the new company will be fully operational, in terms of conducting FDA investigational new drug enabling studies, offering additional preclinical support services, submitting INDs and new drug applications.

It will also have Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care accreditation, the companies reported.

The new company will conduct preclinical testing for drugs meant for China as well as overseas markets, according to Zhang.

“With one fourth of the world’s population, China is an important force in shaping the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets,” MPI Research CEO William Parfet said. “We have carefully looked for more than three years to find a CRO partner that shares our values and commitment.”

A multidisciplinary team of experts from MPI’s Michigan headquarters will relocate to Shanghai and form a Good Laboratory Practice advisory board to oversee the U.S. FDA GLP compliance process. MPI’s team is experienced in small and large animal toxicology, safety pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, animal care, quality assurance, report writing, pathology and study direction and other areas, according to MPI.

“While we incorporate the scientific expertise, high GLP standards and broad range of services offered by MPI Research, we also look forward to sharing our knowledge with them,” Chen said. More than 70 Shanghai Medicilon professionals will join the new organization.

– Dai Jialing (pharmasia@elsevier.com)