News & Events

Mispro to Open Contract Vivarium in Philadelphia’s UCity Biocluster 

John Fogarty
September 14, 2023

Philadelphia, PA - Mispro, a pioneering contract vivarium organization (CVO), is set to open a full-service vivarium facility in Philadelphia's thriving UCity biocluster in January 2024. 

Mispro's decision to expand into Philadelphia stems from the rapid growth of the local biopharma sector and the escalating demand for turnkey, yet cost-effective, lab space dedicated to preclinical R&D. 

Philippe Lamarre, CEO of Mispro, conveyed his excitement about the company’s expansion, emphasizing Philadelphia's evolution as an emerging U.S. biocluster. He remarked, "Without overlooking the city's significant history as the birthplace of cell and gene therapy, Philadelphia is currently experiencing a rapid emergence as a global biotech hub. This growth is characterized by a robust biopharma ecosystem, a flourishing academic network led by UPenn, and biotech incubators that play a critical role in enabling new companies to take root." 

Matthew Burkhardt, Director of B+labs, commented on the value of Mispro's addition to the Philadelphia life science ecosystem, saying, "Access to Mispro's facility and services will be immensely valuable to emerging biotechs that prioritize owning their discovery and development pathway and data generation. In vivo studies are key components of therapeutic program advancement, and the expertise and model that Mispro brings to Philadelphia will enable companies to operate efficiently and on accelerated timelines." 

At its UCity location, Mispro will offer access to state-of-the-art vivarium research space where biosciences companies, regardless of size or therapeutic focus, can conduct their own preclinical in vivo drug development studies with the support of Mispro's expert husbandry, veterinary, technical, and regulatory compliance oversight services. 

By providing comprehensive vivarium space and services infrastructure for in vivo drug development studies, Mispro enables companies to focus their research teams and financial resources exclusively on scientific advancements. This eliminates the need for them to build and operate their own vivarium facilities or outsource critical early-stage drug development phases. 

Matthew Burkhardt, Director of B+labs, commented on the value of Mispro's addition to the Philadelphia life science ecosystem, saying, "Access to Mispro's facility and services will be immensely valuable to emerging biotechs that prioritize owning their discovery and development pathway and data generation. In vivo studies are key components of therapeutic program advancement, and the expertise and model that Mispro brings to Philadelphia will enable companies to operate efficiently and on accelerated timelines." 

Lamarre added, "Mispro's mission has always been to democratize preclinical drug development. By lowering entry barriers and granting biotechs untethered control over their research trajectory, especially in groundbreaking areas like gene therapy, we're not just enabling progress; we're accelerating it." 

Mispro's Philadelphia location is part of Mispro's extensive network of contract vivarium facilities, already present in major U.S. biotech hubs, including Boston, Cambridge, San Francisco, New York, and Research Triangle Park (RTP).  

Mispro is now accepting clients for its Philadelphia UCity contract vivarium facility, scheduled to open its doors in January 2024. Learn more here. 

About Mispro:  

Mispro is an AAALAC-accredited contract vivarium organization (CVO) offering a network of full-service vivarium lab facilities for preclinical in vivo studies. Along with access to state-of-the-art turnkey lab space, Mispro supports its clients with comprehensive laboratory animal research services, including husbandry, veterinary, technical, and regulatory compliance oversight. With locations in all major U.S. biotech hubs, Mispro is committed to helping biosciences companies of all sizes and therapeutic indications achieve their research goals.

John Fogarty