Marken, the UK-based company that provides global supply-chain solutions for clinical trials to the pharmaceutical and life science industries, has opened expanded branch facilities in four countries, citing increased demand for its services.
In the US, Marken has significantly expanded its office and warehouse space adjacent to an existing facility at Los Angeles LAX airport.
There is growing demand from the company’s US West Coast clients for complex clinical drug distribution and biological-sample shipments, it says.
Marken is moving into a new facility in Beijing, China, which will allow for the planned build-out of a pharmaceutical services depot while creating enough space for branch logistics operations, it notes.
In Edinburgh, Scotland, Marken has relocated to a larger office and warehouse space adjacent to the airport and close to its previous office.
And in Germany, the company has shifted its branch operations to a new facility near Frankfurt airport, which will also house Marken’s European central depot.
Complete service
“Due to the growing demand for complex IMP [investigational medicinal product] and biomarker shipments, we have decided to enhance our facilities and expand our operations in these strategic locations,” commented Marken’s chief executive officer, Wes Wheeler.
“We have taken this unique opportunity to combine our planned depot strategy with our need for expanded logistics operations and will combine them wherever possible,” Wheeler added.
It “makes sense to leverage our proven logistics expertise with our depots and thus offer our clients a complete service in the clinical logistics market”, he said.
Pushing ahead
Marken has been expanding vigorously both its offering and its global presence over the last couple of years.
It continues to do so despite media claims earlier this year that the company was in trouble with its lenders after losing value in a waning clinical trials market.
A consortium made up of funds advised by private equity firm Apax Partners and the company’s management agreed to acquire Marken from Intermediate Capital Group in December 2009.
