Wilmington-based PPD has formed a business collaboration with a neuroscience-based biotechnology company based in Dublin, Ireland, the company announced on Wednesday.

PPD will act as Elan’s primary service provider for project and data management, biostatistics, regulatory, clinical and medical monitoring, quality assurance, pharmacovigilance and other areas. The two companies have worked together for some time, said Ned Glascock, PPD spokesman.

Elan works on developing therapies to treat Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s Disease.

The company will retain ownership of its assets and accountability for decision-making with regard to strategy and progression of the individual molecules, as well as the overall portfolio.

“PPD will act as a strategic collaborator and deliver capabilities, resources and expertise that will enable us to advance our business on a global scale while capturing efficiencies and flexibility from a business and operational point of view,” said Doug Love, Elan’s executive vice president and head of alliance management in a press release.

Elan has offices in Athlone, Ireland, where PPD established an 18,000-square-foot analytical testing laboratory and clinical supplies business last year. The company employs about 1,300 with offices in Gainesville, Ga., King of Prussia, Penn. and South San Francisco, Calif.

“PPD and Elan have established an innovative relationship structure that enables Elan to continue to invest in and advance its world-leading work in biology and its broad application in neuroscience while leveraging PPD’s expertise and execution capabilities across key program areas on a global scale,” said David Grange, CEO of PPD in a press release.