Packaging Coordinators Inc. (PCI) has acquired Biotec Services International, a provider of clinical trial services and temperature controlled pharmaceutical services headquartered in Bridgend, Wales. The addition expands PCI's presence in the UK/EU to support global investigational studies of medicinal products by adding packaging, storage, and distribution capacity as well as consultative services for clinical trial supplies.

Biotec recently expanded to accommodate additional packaging, storage, and distribution demand. The expansion more than quadrupled the company's capacity to store, package and ship cold-chain products and included a second purpose-built facility for the storage of advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs) at -196 °C.  ATMPs include gene therapies, somatic cell therapies (stem cells), and tissue engineered products. Biotec supports global projects across a range of temperature conditions, including controlled room temperature, 2 to  8 °C, -20 °C, -40 °C, -80 °C, and specialization in products requiring -196 °C. Biotec's recent facilities’ expansions complement PCI's own investment in a purpose-built 93,000-square foot North American clinical storage and distribution facility, which included storage for temperature-controlled products of investigational products. 

Last month, PCI acquired Penn Pharma, adding pharmaceutical development and contained manufacturing services to its portfolio of clinical trial services, commercial packaging, and laboratory services.  The addition of Penn Pharma follows PCI's acquisition of AndersonBrecon in 2013 from AmerisourceBergen. PCI now represents 16 facilities across North America and Europe, employing more than 2,900 employees.

Source: PCI