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Central Laboratories

A full range of central laboratory services that are dedicated exclusively to clinical development

ICON's central laboratory services deliver high quality, harmonised data to facilitate the efficient and accurate assessment of drug efficacy and safety. We work with our clients to develop strategic, flexible approaches that leverage clinical informatics, scientific experience, state-of-the-art technologies, and our global reach to maximise safety and efficiency, and make data-driven decisions for every study.

  • 30 years laboratory experience

  • Over 2,400 studies supported

  • Across 83 countries

Our global network of fully accredited central laboratory facilities in the US, Ireland, Singapore, and China operate with state-of-the-art instrumentation, coupled with identical analytical platforms, SOPs, QC materials & reagents to support large global studies.

We successfully manage the laboratory, investigator and logistical support requirements for thousands of clients in virtually every phase and therapeutic area of clinical development.

Laboratory locations

Dublin, Ireland: Located at the ICON plc headquarters, our Dublin laboratory opened in 1995. The facility offers 41,000 sq ft (3,800m²) of laboratory space, providing centralised testing and site support services to clinical investigators in over 70 countries throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa. New dedicated laboratories have been created to accommodate more specialised testing services in the areas of anatomic pathology, molecular diagnostics and multiplex assays.

Opened: 1995

CAP Accredited: 2003

Farmingdale, New York: Established in 1993, ICON Central Laboratories’ global headquarters is in Farmingdale, New York and has a footprint of over 114,000 square feet. The Farmingdale facility hosts a full laboratory with sample management services, biorepository, and home to various operational teams. In addition, our Farmingdale location hosts our homegrown kit building team which enables seamless delivery of laboratory kits to sites across the globe.

Opened: 1993

CAP Accredited: 2003

Singapore: Our Singapore facility consists of 10,225 square feet of laboratory space and is licensed by the Singapore Ministry of Health.  We provide full central laboratory services with onsite sample management, logistics, project management, client services, quality assurance and quality control to all countries in Asia Pacific (excluding China). An extensive central and specialty lab test menu is supported by a combination of in-house testing capabilities and testing in sister labs (Farmingdale and Dublin) via regular inter-laboratory shipping.

Opened: 2007

CAP Accredited: 2009

Beijing, China: This 1382 sqm facility supports global drug development, housing a central lab and other ICON clinical research staff. While ICON Labs has had a presence in China since 2007, this facility which opened in 2020 marked the first time that the lab was co-located with other ICON services in Beijing. The lab was previously located in Tianjin.

Opened: 2020

CAP Accredited: 2010

Accreditations and certifications

ICON Central Laboratories maintains a number of industry accreditations and certifications as a means of benchmarking quality and assuring clients of our adherence to industry and regulatory standards. These certifications include: CAP Accreditation, CLIA NY State and NGSP. In addition, ICON Central Laboratories participates in a broad range of proficiency programs to provide continuing assurance of our testing accuracy and rigor.    

Global capabilities

We recognise that clinical research and development is a global endeavor and every aspect of our central laboratory service revolves around that requirement. From the time of study setup to data-lock, the dedicated teams at ICON Central Laboratories work to blend the global consistency in operating procedures and database management with the unique local needs of Investigator sites to offer a service package that works – anywhere.

Our global logistics team has more than 30 years of industry experience and has managed the shipment of study supplies and specimens across the globe. No one is better placed to understand the unique logistical requirements of your clinical study.

All of our central laboratories have been fully accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP).

Discover more about ICON's certifications, licenses and accreditations.

Delivering benefits to your trial

Harmonised data

All analyses performed at ICON Central Laboratories are under the strictest standards of accuracy and precision, ensuring data integrity and regualtory compliance. Results are reported directly into a single laboratory information management system for complete transparency and control.

Flexibility and agility

Highly experienced global project managers will manage all aspects of your trial, including accelerated study start-up, delivery, logistics, logistics budgets and proactive issue resolution. 

Transparency and control

A full complement of online services which give sites and sponsors access to the tools, data and information to ensure transparency of process, complete traceability, and the seamless management of your trial.

Insight into latest industry and therapeutic advances

ICON has the scientific and technical expertise to support the selection and development of biomarkers and specialty testing for endpoints. We offer custom biomarker assay development including soluble, cellular, tissue and molecular biomarkers. Our experienced scientific affairs experts offers guidance on how to de-risk strategy and optimise study results.

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