The takeover – terms of which were not disclosed – has added bioassay and cellular analysis capabilities to KCAS’ offering.
It also means that Active Biomarkers’ facility in Lyon joins KCAS network of sites in Kansas, Philadelphia and Milan, Italy.
The acquisition is the second in 2022 by KCAS. In February it bought FlowMetric, a flow cytometry and cellular analysis-focused contract research organization (CRO).
KCAS CEO John Bucksath linked the earlier acquisition to the Active Biomarkers takeover, framing the deals as part of a wider growth effort.
“The combined expertise and capacity of KCAS, FlowMetric, and Active Biomarkers is unique. The high-quality, science-first and client-centric culture we all share is key to our commitment to become the CRO partner of choice for the global pharma and biopharma industries.”
The deals follow a number of capacity investments from KCAS, which include a purpose-built 70,000 square-foot facility in Kansas City and a 26,000 square-foot facility in Pennsylvania.
Bucksath cited KCAS’ backers as key to the expansion effort.
“With our investors, Vitruvian Partners, we are optimally positioned to invest in our people and deliver world-class services for our growing client base. The acquisition of Active Biomarkers gives our combined clients access to further scientific expertise and support in both markets regionally and internationally.”
This was echoed by Sophie Bower-Straziota, from Vitruvian Partners who focused on the geographic expansion Active Biomarkers would provide.
“The acquisition of Active Biomarkers by KCAS builds on the excellent foundation KCAS has built in the US and supports the increasingly international needs of the company’s growing pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
She added “as the drug development market continues to evolve, we will continue to support investment in scientific capabilities, broadening geographical reach, providing the resources to scale the business, and making strategic acquisitions.”
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