StageBio Expands Its Global Presence With Acquisition of TPL Path Labs

Company extends preclinical and clinical histopathology/molecular pathology solutions to researchers on both sides of the Atlantic

News provided by

StageBio

Oct 21, 2020, 00:10 ET

MT. JACKSON, Va. and FREIBURG, Germany, Oct. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- StageBio, a leading provider of GLP-compliant necropsy, histology, pathology and specimen archiving services for both preclinical and clinical research, announced today its acquisition of TPL Path Labs of Freiburg, Germany. The combined organization offers an expanded array of histopathology, molecular pathology, toxicology, digital image analysis and related solutions to biopharma, medical device and academic researchers across the U.S., Europe and beyond. StageBio is a portfolio company of Ampersand Capital Partners.

The acquisition expands StageBio's preclinical and clinical laboratory resources, adding a GLP/GCLP-compliant lab facility and staff in Germany to the company's existing six GLP-compliant lab facilities and two GLP specimen archive sites in the U.S. This strengthens StageBio's ability to deliver services internationally, reducing the need to ship study materials overseas. Uniform technology platforms and protocols across the U.S. and European operations ensure consistent quality, accuracy and efficiency.

With more than 175 professionals, including 30 experienced pathologists, the combined organization has the scale to serve the largest multinational customers, while retaining the highly responsive and personalized service for which StageBio is known.

Together, StageBio and TPL Path Labs offer an exceptionally broad array of solutions across the preclinical, translational and clinical continuum—from study protocol development through necropsy, histology, pathology, imaging and analysis. In particular, the acquisition enhances StageBio's ability to support clinical investigators in the areas of biomarker development, tissue cross-reactivity (TCR) and immunohistochemistry.

"The addition of TPL Path Labs to StageBio represents a significant step in our global strategy to support researchers with the broadest range of quality solutions at every stage of discovery through clinical development," said Tom Galati, StageBio CEO. "The expertise and sophisticated capabilities of the TPL team integrate perfectly with StageBio's, enabling us to deliver solutions with a combination of depth, breadth and quality that is unmatched in the markets we serve."

"Becoming part of StageBio is great news for TPL Path Labs' customers across Europe, Australia and Asia," said Ayse Bal, TPL Path Labs General Manager. "By expanding our capabilities, scale and geographic reach, the combined organization enables us to respond even more rapidly and effectively to our customers' needs. StageBio shares our commitment to customer success and responsive service, making this an ideal match."

Bal emphasized that the TPL Path Labs team will remain unchanged, ensuring continuity for current customers. Bal will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations at TPL Path Labs as she transitions onto the StageBio leadership team.

About StageBio
StageBio is a leading provider of GLP-compliant necropsy, histology, pathology and specimen archiving services for the biopharmaceutical, medical device, academic, government and contract research industries. The company operates six GLP laboratories as well as two GLP specimen archiving facilities in the U.S., with substantial continued investment in facility and technology infrastructure to meet the growing demand for high-quality histopathology services globally. StageBio has a team of 30 board-certified veterinary pathologists and more than 75 laboratory technicians on staff supporting our unified commitment to quality, scientific integrity and client satisfaction. Learn more at www.stagebio.com.

About TPL
TPL Path Labs is a CRO service provider based in Freiburg, Germany. Since its founding in 2008 as a spin-off of Dermato-Histologisches Labor, TPL has become a leading CRO in the pharmaceutical and medical technology industry, thanks to its scientific excellence, expanding range of methods, and strong customer focus. TPL offers a complete range of GLP-compliant services, from necropsy and histological processing to pathological evaluation of tissue samples. The company has expertise in immunohistochemistry, cryoprocessing, fixed tissue preparation, ISH, tissue cross-reactivity (TCR) studies, and in vivo toxicology studies. TPL is a regular contributor to international congresses such as EuroTox, SOT, STP, and ESTP.

About Ampersand
Founded in 1988, Ampersand is a middle market private equity firm dedicated to growth-oriented investments in the healthcare sector. With offices in Boston and Amsterdam, Ampersand leverages its unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company management teams. Ampersand has helped build numerous market-leading companies across each of the firm's core healthcare sectors. Additional information about Ampersand is available at www.ampersandcapital.com.

SOURCE StageBio