Flow Contract Site (FCS) Laboratory

This installment of Supplier Spotlight® is on Flow Contract Site (FCS) Laboratory – a service provider of flow cytometry testing for drug development.

What is your company’s mission?

With 7+ years in business, our mission to respond to our customers’ evolving needs, strive to collaborate with our clients, anticipate regulatory change, invest in our facilities and our people and seek to assert ourselves at the forefront of the field of flow cytometry.

Describe your company’s most popular service offering.

FCSL operates as a specialized CRO that offers flow cytometry-based assays for nonclinical and clinical drug development. We are proficient in processing a multitude of specimen types including human, non-human primate, mice, other animal models, whole blood, PBMCs, bone marrow, spleen, tumors, cell lines, etc.

Flow cytometry services that we provide include Immunophenotyping, Intracellular Protein Analysis (Tregs, phosphoproteins, cytokines, etc.), Cell Cycle, Apoptosis, Viability, Cellular Functional Analysis (NK Functional Assay, Basophil Activation Test (BAT)), and Receptor Occupancy. A popular service that we offer is our ability to tailor any flow cytometry assays to meet our clients’ specific needs. We have the capability to develop novel assays within our facility. This is an area where we have seen an increase in demand, during the previous year, and we look forward to receiving more of these requests.

Why should customers use your services? Do you save time and/or money and/or provide access to innovation?

FCSL prides itself on the ability to get results without compromising quality. We have many procedures put in place which allow for this to be possible. These consist of: first-rate and personal customer service with frequent project updates; state-of-the-art facilities and equipment; prompt, clear, comprehensive, and accurate reporting; turnaround time unequaled by other contract laboratories - in certain cases 3-5 days; upfront itemized pricing with no hidden costs; and expertise in client processes, eliminating turnover issues.

Another aspect of our laboratory that benefits our customers is that FCSL operates as an outsourcing CRO in which samples are shipped to us for analysis. This provides our clients more flexibility and aids in reducing overload, all while expanding flow cytometry scope and capabilities that may not be available to them internally. We are also a facility that offers both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP contract flow cytometry services.

What new services, tools or technologies will you be offering over the next biennium?

FCSL is dedicated to expanding in general over the next two years, just as it has since its inception. Our instruments are of the finest technology in the industry, and just recently we added another BD FACSCanto™ II system to our collection of flow cytometers. We now have four flow cytometers, that are available to meet our client’s needs, and plan to continue increasing this number. Along with this, we would also add to the amount of assays that we can perform in our laboratory. This would certainly require the addition of more employees to our team and that is something we fully intend to do in the near future and for years to come.

What is your company doing to remain an industry leader?

FCSL has developed a strategy which allows us to stay amongst the leaders in flow cytometry testing for drug development. This is achieved through scientist-to-scientist consultations for flow cytometry assay/protocol development and analysis; working with academic institutions, biotech/pharma companies, and CROs; serving all drug development stages from R&D, nonclinical testing, and on into clinical trials; and offering competitive pricing based on study specifics.
Also, the founders of FCSL are also actively involved in the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Flow Cytometry Action Program Committee (APC). They have published several papers for APC and have contributed to the programming of meetings, as well.

Have you been able to use Scientist.com to increase your business?

FCSL is proud to say that we have been an active member with Scientist.com since its inception when it was previously called Scientist. We have had the opportunity to watch the company grow exponentially and are very excited about the new marketing campaigns that Scientist.com is offering in 2017. This just goes to show their persistent effort in improving the platform. We look forward to continuing a close relationship with Scientist.com!