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Discovery Life Sciences Acquires Contract Research Firm In Vitro ADMET Laboratories

NEW YORK — Discovery Life Sciences said on Thursday that it has acquired contract research firm In Vitro ADMET Laboratories.

Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Columbia, Maryland-based IVAL offers physiologically relevant in vitro experimental systems for drug metabolism, toxicology, and pharmacology testing including cryopreserved human and animal hepatocytes and enterocytes.

Discovery said the acquisition will help expand its presence in the research biospecimen and biomarker development space. In particular, the firm will gain access to IVAL's hepatocyte inventory, which it claims is the largest in the world, and related technologies.

"IVAL supports our mission to continue developing our capabilities to support our clients comprehensively in drug research and development through the expansion of our biospecimen offerings," Discovery CSO Shawn Levy said in a statement.

Huntsville, Alabama-based Discovery said it has completed nine strategic acquisitions over the past three and a half years, including of German biomarker development services firm Targos Molecular Pathology in May.

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