Frontage Laboratories
High-Quality Pharma Service with Technical Excellence

New developments in immunotherapies, gene and cell therapies, and antibody-drug conjugates are continuously contributing toward the growth of biologics. With the ever-expanding biologics market, CROs not only need to support standard pharma and biotech drug platformsfor projects like small molecule and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies but also novel therapies using novel platforms for gene and cell therapy as well. While these novel platforms support a wide array of pharma projects, they are technically challenging. In order to successfully take on these drug development projects, CROs require a broad array of highly-trained specialized scientists and new technologies and instrumentation. At the forefront of technological advancements is Frontage Laboratories, a CRO that provides integrated, science-driven product development services throughout the drug discovery and development process to enable pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to achieve their development goals. “Our commitment to investing in highly trained and experienced scientists, state-of-the-art facilitiesand instrumentations, and a strong commitment to operational excellence allow us to deliver results that meet or exceed our customers’ needs,” says Dr. Song Li, CEO and founder of Frontage Laboratories.

Leveraging its strong scientific and management expertise, the company is committed to providing the highest quality for each project. Over 70 percent of the company’s scientific staff have advanced degrees. The team provides clients the required knowledge on utilizing novel pharma tools in the most creative way to help companies deal with complex challenges such as issues in drug formulation, bioanalysis and data interpretation. The company’s focus on technical and scientific excellence helps them form strong, long-term relationships and partnerships with customers.

“We believe this approach—where we are positioned as a value-add partner—differs from standard CROs, who focus on offering a variable-cost alternative to their customers’ internal product development functions and support their customers on their routine work,” says Li.

Frontage Laboratories’ varied services include Discovery services such as Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), PK/PD and Lead Characterization, Safety and Toxicology Assessment, Bioanalytical Services, Pharmaceutical Development Services such as Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) and Clinical Phase 1 studies. Frontage applies the same rigorous quality system across its business units in North America and China to ensure consistency in quality standards, operating procedures, setup, and systems. In fact, the company has enabled many biotechnology and leading pharmaceutical companies of varying sizes to advance a myriad of molecules through their development to enable the filing of regulatory submissions in North America, China, and other countries.

In a recent implementation, a sponsor spent over a year working with a large CRO on the development of bioanalytical assays, but due to limited sample volume they were not able to complete the method development for multiple analytes. Based on its rich experience and expertise, Frontage Laboratories overcame the key constraint of minimal sample volume by consolidating multiple individual methods into 2 in 1 methods. Frontage developed and fully validated all the assays within six months of contracting the project.

Frontage Laboratories will continue to grow its capacity and capabilities both organically and through mergers and acquisitions as appropriate. In just the last six months, the company has expanded its footprint in both North America and China, acquiring a majority share position of a CMC group in China andsetting up new labs in both China and North America to accommodate growth in the CMC and Bioanalytical areas. Along the same lines, Frontage Laboratories will continue to look for opportunities that will enhance its end-to-end discovery and drug development services. “Leveraging the breadth and depth of ourservice offerings, along with a focus on technical excellence, we believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on the strong growth drivers in the markets,” concludes Li.