Sci-Tech Daresbury business Perfectus Biomed looks to accelerate international growth following merger with US firm Extherid Biosciences

The announcement follows a period of sustained growth that has seen Perfectus Biomed utilise its expertise in order to create jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The merger has resulted in the creation of Perfectus Biomed Group with two operating subsidiaries. Extherid Biosciences is now known as Perfectus Biomed LLC and the UK subsidiary will continue to be known as Perfectus Biomed Limited.

The new relationship represents the coming together of a breadth of industry experience, resulting in a significantly enhanced service offering and geographical reach.

Prior to the merger, both contract research organisations (CROs) focused on customised testing that supported their clients’ vision throughout their product development and regulatory journeys. Customers with multinational needs requiring such support will continue to receive the quality they have come to know and expect from both entities, but with access to a unified, wider spectrum of industry experience and increased testing capabilities.

Specialist services offered by Perfectus Biomed includes accredited biofilm testing, microbiology, molecular biology, cell culture and virology. These services are used to support companies in medical device, wound care, biocide, cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors. Over recent months it has fast-tracked all disinfectant and healthcare product efficacy testing against Coronavirus in order to support the global response to the pandemic.

Extherid’s expertise lies in experimental therapeutics and preclinical infectious disease research, through customisable tissue models. The Wyoming facility provides specialist research for the medical device, urogenital health, wound care, inflammation and biocompatibility sectors.

Dr Samantha Westgate PhD, CEO of Perfectus Biomed Group said:

“We are delighted to be merging with Extherid Biosciences and look forward to offering our respective customers an enriched service across an expanded geographical reach. Our united offering now allows our clients access to a singular team that is able to navigate country and sector specific regulations while ensuring tests are delivered in an efficient, timely and accurate manner.

“Key to our development in recent years has been the support available at Sci-Tech Daresbury. The campus has been able to accommodate our expansion as we have gradually scaled up the business and our requirements have changed. This merger takes Perfectus Biomed to the next level, and the excellent geographic connectivity available from Sci-Tech Daresbury – including easy motorway and airport access - will enable us to attract further interest from customers globally.

“We’re very proud to have driven 50% job growth at our company over the past year – we’ve recently taken on five people, and we have plans to hire at least ten more members of staff before the end of 2020. While that’s obviously positive for our business, we’re also aware of the responsibility that firms such as ours will have in supporting the economy during the COVID-19 recovery.”

Dr Marnie Peterson PhD, CEO and founder of Extherid commented:

“This is a very proud moment for our company. Our new position within Perfectus Biomed Group will enhance our sector offering and allow us greater penetration into different markets. We look forward to working with our customer base to expand their anti-viral capabilities, which has become increasingly important as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

“There are synergies of operations and management that will help drive economies of scale, ultimately resulting in improved results for our clients across North America and Europe.”

John Downes, chief executive of Langtree, the private sector partner in Sci-Tech Daresbury’s Joint Venture Company, commented:

“Since they joined us as a start-up company at Sci-Tech Daresbury, Samantha and her team have been an exemplar of what can be achieved through a commitment to innovation and a dynamic business model.

“It’s been a privilege to witness the company’s rapid growth, and we’ll continue to use the tools and networks at our disposal to support Perfectus Biomed Group in the years ahead as it continues to deliver exceptional, customised microbiological services for its growing customer base.”