Crown Bioscience Expands US Capacity for Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease Research Partners with New Iberia Research Center of Louisiana

Santa Clara, Calif. - Jan. 12, 2016 - Crown Bioscience Inc., a global drug discovery and development services company providing translational platforms to advance cardiovascular and metabolic disease (CVMD) research, expands its U.S. footprint in New Iberia, Louisiana.

CrownBio has expanded its CVMD services capacity by investing in facilities at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s New Iberia Research Center (NIRC), the largest national primate research center in the U.S. Spread over a 100-acre site, the NIRC maintains accreditations with AAALAC, OLAW, and the USDA, and has multiple research capabilities that harmonize well with the efficacy and model development studies conducted by CrownBio.

These capabilities at NIRC support CrownBio’s preclinical research service portfolio and help bring the most competitive value to CrownBio’s clients. “The move to NIRC significantly increases our capacity in the U.S. so that we can now provide high quality study services with greater agility to our clients,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Wery, CEO of CrownBio.

“The addition of biomedical professionals from the private sector will enhance the work of the NIRC researchers,” said Ramesh Kolluru, vice president for Research, Innovation and Economic Development at UL Lafayette. “This opportunity expands the region’s reputation for innovation-based economic development through our public-private partnership with CrownBio, a global biopharmaceutical company.”

“CrownBio’s unique dysmetabolic models spontaneously develop diabetes, obesity, and other associated comorbidities, and closely mimic the human disease states, thus making them indispensable translational platforms in late-stage preclinical research. The expanded capacity in the U.S. will enable us to execute multiple projects at the same time and bring these important translational platforms to our clients to enable their go/no-go decisions into the clinic,” said Dr. Jim Wang, senior vice president of CVMD Research at CrownBio.

The expansion to NIRC came in response to increasing client demand and as part of CrownBio’s growth strategy in the CVMD space. Dr. Wang added, “CrownBio’s goal is twofold: to align operational excellence with client demand and to lead the way in CVMD preclinical research.

Dr. Francois Villinger, director of NIRC, said, “Our center in New Iberia has the research and analytical expertise and infrastructure in place to assist CrownBio to respond to the needs of its global clientele very quickly. We are committed to incubating and growing businesses in the biomedical arena supported by the strength of UL Lafayette’s research in life sciences.”

“The increased capacity in New Iberia, enables CrownBio’s current and future clients to engage with a robust and scientifically sound continuum of solutions as they progress through their preclinical drug discovery pipeline” said Laurie Heilmann, senior vice president of Global Strategy, Marketing, and Business Development at CrownBio.

Crown Bioscience is a global drug discovery and development service company providing translational platforms to advance oncology and metabolic disease research. With an extensive portfolio of relevant models and predictive tools, Crown Bioscience enables clients to deliver superior clinical candidates.