PPD is investing up to $19 million to develop a new 18,000-square-foot analytical testing laboratory and clinical supplies business in Athlone, Ireland.

The contract research organization (CRO) will offer the following product and analytical development services there: method development; validation; stability; release and quality control testing; and global clinical supplies services, including secondary packing, labeling and storage. The facility will also provide regulatory services, product licensing and marketed product support, with emphasis on inhalation and biopharmaceutical products. The analytical testing laboratory will conduct testing for all phases of drug development.

The CRO already has hired 21 employees in Athlone and plans to create 250 jobs at the laboratory. PPD also recently expanded its medical communications safety call center operations in Athlone.

"Expanding our laboratory operations into Europe enables us to continue to deliver on our strong history of providing quality work and customer service to our growing client base in this region," said Magdalena Mejillano, PPD’s vice president of laboratory services, in a statement. "The Irish government, through IDA Ireland, has provided us strong support, and we continue to benefit from Ireland's highly skilled workforce and business-friendly climate."