Kunming Biomed International (KBI) of southwest China formed a collaboration with BTS Research (BTS) of San Diego that gives BTS an exclusive license to import and distribute KBI’s non-human primates (NHPs) in the western United States. The agreement, signed during the ChinaBio® Partnering Forum held in Shanghai on April 15-16, 2015, also provides a platform for the two firms to co-market each other’s research services, enabling each company to provide a broad range of CRO services in China and the US.

The exclusive agreement provides KBI with a direct channel to the US pharma market for its NHPs and CRO services through BTS.  This enables BTS to provide low-cost, high-value NHPs directly to its drug development and medical device clients in California and throughout the US. 

BTS is the only commercial CRO in California to have a license for NHP studies. BTS and KBI are both fully AAALAC accredited, and apply the highest standards of animal welfare and ethics.

“We are very excited to establish this strategic collaboration with BTS Research, a very well respected and successful California-based CRO,” said Dr. Wayne (Wenbao) Li, General Manager of KBI. “This will enable KBI to reach additional clients in the United States for both our high-quality non-human primates as well as our animal models and related services.”

Sami Sami Abunadi, President of BTS Research, added, “Our relationship with KBI provides BTS with access to one of the largest monkey colonies in the world. As the only licensed commercial supplier of non-human primates in California, this enables us to dramatically shorten lead time to our clients,” he continued.  “And now, in addition to our wide range of research services, we are able to offer NHPs and related animal models specifically for diabetes, metabolic disease, CNS and CFD therapeutic areas.”

BTS will immediately begin importing the monkeys into the US market and offering them to their clients throughout the US.  The company offers comprehensive services for nonclinical and preclinical studies in state-of-the-art AAALAC-accredited vivariums. Its services include toxicology, pharmacology, cancer and metabolism testing in support of GLP and non-GLP drug development.

Kunming Biomed International describes itself as a science-based pharmacology CRO providing preclinical research services for drug discovery and development specializing in non-human primates. KBI's core competency is specialized primate animal models to test drug candidates and medical devices for their pharmacological effects and biocompatible repairs.

Disclosure: none.