INDIANAPOLIS – The volume of biological samples generated during clinical research is rapidly increasing as the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries shift their focus from traditional medicine to molecular-based therapeutics. The growing use of genomics and biomarkers in the discovery process has put an increasing emphasis on the value of sample integrity and the practices that life sciences companies employ to collect, store and distribute clinical trial samples.
With this in mind, BioStorage Technologies held its first annual Global Sample Management Benchmarking Symposium at the company’s state-of-the-art biorepository facility in Griesheim, Germany on September 15, 2010. The consortium brought together industry thought leaders from the life sciences community to share perspectives on sample management trends, challenges and strategies for optimizing biorepository operations.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of the symposium,” said Lori A. Ball, chief operating officer. “We set out to bring together a cross-section of industry experts who could give insightful perspectives on the various aspects of sample management, and based on the acclaim from the assortment of executives in attendance, we feel we have set a good foundation for future thought leadership forums.”
Attendees included executives and operations personnel from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, global CROs, central laboratories and academia. They received real-world insights into the state of sample management and what the industry must do to keep pace with the advancements of technology in the drug development process.
The impressive speaker line up included:
• Dr. Elizabeth Foot, Chief Scientific Officer, London Genetics, Ltd. “Growing Trends in the Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Trial Samples”
• Jens Mattuschka, Director Clinical Logistics Services Worldwide, Parexel “CRO Perspective: Clinical Trial Sample Collection and Distribution”
• Colin Clapham, Lead Regional Non-DNA Sample Management Scientist, GSK Europe “Global Strategies for Sample Relocation”
• Gerit Offenhauser, Vice-President Global Logistics Operations, Clearstone Central Laboratories, “Central Laboratory Perspective: Challenges in Sample Storage”
“There is growing evidence of the value to be gained from retrospective analysis of samples collected in clinical trials. Therefore, it has become imperative to implement procedures to ensure their integrity for future use,” said Dr. Elizabeth Foot, chief scientific officer, London Genetics, Ltd. “The BioStorage benchmarking symposium provided an excellent forum to share best practices and experiences with others in the biobanking community.”
BioStorage Technologies has earned the reputation of being an industry leader in comprehensive sample management through ongoing innovations and by carefully listening to the needs of researchers and scientists around the world. The company is committed to not only being the global leader in comprehensive sample management, but to also being an informational resource for the global biobanking community.
About BioStorage Technologies, Inc.:
BioStorage Technologies, Inc. is the global leader in sample storage, inventory management and cold-chain logistics for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. The company offers more than 100,000 square feet of secure, temperature-controlled storage as well as real-time tracking of stored biological samples, and next-day retrieval and shipment of biomaterials. BioStorage Technologies, Inc. is privately held and headquartered in Indianapolis with an additional full-service site near Frankfurt, Germany. For more information, visit www.biostorage.com or call +1 (866) 697-2675 or +49-6155-898-1011.
Michael Clark michael@millerbrooks.com
Miller Brooks, Inc. 11712 N. Michigan Road Zionsville, IN 46077 317.873.8100
MillerBrooks.com
