Detroit-based Asterand Bioscience Inc., a provider of human tissue and related services to research scientists, has acquired AdeptBio LLC, a Memphis-based biobank organization. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Together, we will strengthen our partnership with the pharmaceutical and diagnostic community; providing unparalleled quality samples, highly regulated collection, and tailored specifications for their research needs,” says Peter Ferrigno, chief commercial officer of Asterand Bioscience.
Ferrigno says AdeptBio’s four employees and supply network will be incorporated into Asterand Bioscience, expanding the company’s global network to more than 80 collaborating donor institutions. AdeptBio will allow the company to deliver human tissues, biofluids, and clinical information in a way that’s compatible with specific experimental needs.
“The development of new targeted therapies and companion diagnostics rely on availability of tissues, and increasingly biofluids, linked to deep clinical data,” says Dr. Lee Schwartzberg, founder of AdeptBio. “Joining AdeptBio’s network with Asterand Bioscience’s network will strengthen their ability to partner and serve the pharmaceutical and diagnostic community.”
AdeptBio specializes in the procurement of human tissue specimens. Schwartzberg says AdeptBio will help Asterand Bioscience to meet the research needs of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostic companies, as well as academia.
Asterand Bioscience, which has 84 employees, was formed in 2006 through the merger with of Asterand, a human tissue biorepository, and Pharmagene, a human tissue-based drug discovery company. The company is located on the fifth floor of TechTown, a Wayne State University-affiliated tech incubator, and also has offices in Royston, United Kingdom.
