Wilmington-based contract research organization, PPD Inc., unveiled the new PPD Vaccines & Biologics Center of Excellence in Wayne, Pa. this week. The center, which consists of a network of all of PPD’s laboratories, expands the vaccine testing services it acquired from pharmaceutical company, Merck, in 2009.

“With the industry’s largest collection of commercial vaccine assays and strong immunochemistry, cell culture and cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) lab operations, PPD is the first CRO to offer the type of laboratory support that has the potential to bring significant efficiencies to the development of vaccines and biologics,” said Dr. Christine Dingivan, PPD’s chief medical officer in a press release.

The center’s integrated laboratory services focused solely on vaccine and biologic drug development is the first of its kind in the pharmaceutical industry, according to a press release. Vaccines and other biologics are two of the fastest growing segments in the biopharmaceutical industry.

PPD acquired a 130,000 square foot vaccine testing laboratory in Wayne, Pa., in January 2009 as part of an agreement with Merck, said a spokeswoman for PPD Inc. As part of the agreement, PPD acquired the laboratory equipment and the pharmaceutical company’s 80 employees.