Dublin, Ireland-based contract research organization ICON acquired Veeda Laboratories, a provider of biomarker laboratory services for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition is intended to bulk up ICON's existing bioanalytical and immunoassay capabilities, which are based at a laboratory in Manchester, UK, and Prevalere Life Sciences, the U.S. lab acquired by ICON last November.

"Biomarkers of disease are assuming an ever increasing role in the discovery and development of drugs," said ICON Development Solutions president Thomas Frey in a company statement. "In Veeda Laboratories, we have acquired a company that has a very strong reputation for biomarker development and has well-established relationships with top-tier pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Veeda's team of scientists will also greatly enhance ICON's existing team of biomarker experts."

Veeda Laboratories is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Veeda Clinical Research Group.