iSpecimen Inc. (Nasdaq: ISPC) (“iSpecimen” or the “Company”), an online global marketplace that connects scientists in need of biospecimens for medical research with a network of healthcare specimen providers, announced that over the course of the second half of 2022, the Company added and onboarded seven new biospecimen providers to the iSpecimen Marketplace®, for both banked and prospectively collected specimens. These new suppliers will allow iSpecimen to improve global access to vital biospecimens and data needed to help advance research in oncology, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases and more.
As part of this network expansion, researchers utilizing the iSpecimen Marketplace® will have access to samples of larger patient populations with diverse phenotypes across the U.S. and Europe. Notably, one of the new suppliers will now provide researchers with access to fresh whole blood in key locations that help ensure quick-turn collection and delivery. Another key supplier is a U.S.-based network of clinical trial groups that prospectively collects various biofluid specimens, including blood, blood-derived specimens and other biofluids from diverse population groups to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to streamline custom research projects.
“By tracking and monitoring demand and trends of incoming researcher requests, iSpecimen is able to strategically determine the biggest gaps in specimen procurement and effectively expand our network,” said Tracy Curley, CEO of iSpecimen. “Our new sample providers enable broader access to highly sought-after samples and increasingly diverse patient populations and sample types with improved specimen and patient data access. The iSpecimen Marketplace continues to function as a powerful, innovative biospecimen matchmaking platform that researchers and suppliers alike can utilize worldwide to obtain the samples they need to advance essential research. This year, to date, we have already begun establishing new and more robust business and technology criteria for all of our suppliers and we expect further growth in this area throughout 2023. It is encouraging to know that all of these new suppliers have met our more rigorous criteria.”
The addition of these seven new biospecimen providers includes both U.S. and European-based biobanks that have access to large patient populations through prospective collections, as well as vast specimen types and diseases. iSpecimen will also be working with a new research center which will provide researchers access to diverse patient populations including Hispanic and African American patients. Patient populations also include OB/GYN and patients being treated for infectious diseases, hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes.
