The initial phase of the project was completed in November 2018, with the delivery of a new, 150 m2 immunoassay laboratory, equipped with eight instruments (MSD, ELISA, Luminex, Ella) and with the capacity to employ 20 analysts.
The second phase of the expansion will commence with the construction of a new, 800 m2 building, housing both a new laboratory and office space, and the renovation of the existing laboratory at the site.
Alongside the renovation works will be the introduction of a new electronic laboratory notebook system across the entire facility, as well as upgrades to the site's quality management system and sample automation capabilities.
Recruitment of new staff, which has seen an increase of more than 25% during the past 2, is set to continue and will further accelerate by Q3 2019.
Alain Renoux, Laboratory Director, said: "This major investment in equipment, facilities and expert staff will significantly increase the capabilities at the site to match increasing demand and shorten processes for our pharmaceutical clients. SGS has a commitment to offer a global presence with a center of excellence model, and it is through investment in both the state-of-the-art facilities and staff that we can meet this ambition."
SGS's Poitiers laboratory currently offers a full range of bioanalytical services for both small molecules and biologics, including mass spectrometry, immunoassays and cell-based assays.
The expansion at the site follows SGS's recent announcements of investment and expansion of services at its Lincolnshire (IL, USA), Geneva and Mississauga (Canada) laboratories.
