Labcorp Expands Global Clinical Trial Footprint With MLM Acquisition

With the purchase of MLM Medical Labs, Labcorp has become the only central laboratory provider operating a wholly owned network across four continents. The deal, which includes facilities in the United States, Germany, and South Africa, bolsters the company's specialty testing capabilities for complex multinational clinical research programs.

Money Talk·September 8, 2026·reads: 805

The acquisition integrates MLM’s scientific service model into Labcorp’s existing infrastructure, granting the company a broader reach in critical research markets. Of particular note is the addition of MLM’s laboratory in South Africa, which holds the distinction of being the continent's first fully CAP-accredited central laboratory. This expansion allows Labcorp to offer sponsors consistent regulatory and scientific oversight from a single provider, regardless of where their clinical trials take place.

Brian Caveney, Labcorp’s chief medical and scientific officer, noted that the move is designed to assist both emerging biotechs and major pharmaceutical firms in navigating increasingly sophisticated development programs. While the financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed, the move signals a strategic push to secure a dominant position in the global central laboratory sector. Evercore acted as the exclusive financial advisor for the transaction, with legal counsel provided by Pierson Ferdinand and Hogan Lovells.