New details emerge on Reedley lab company's business dealings in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- More is being uncovered about the embattled medical company behind the Reedley lab and its dealings in Fresno.

Earlier this year, a facility owned by Universal Meditech and Prestige Biotech in Reedley was shut down.

This was after unauthorized biological agents were found on site, including mice, samples of bodily fluid, and infectious diseases.

Earlier this week, Reedley's City Manager said they learned the company previously operated in Fresno.

On Thursday, Fresno officials released a timeline of the company's history within the city.

In August 2018, Universal Meditech moved into a building on East Fortune Avenue.

Two years later, in August 2020, the Fresno Fire Department was called to a fire at the location.

The department noted unpermitted lab walls and electrical wiring in a fire damage report.

Between 2020 and 2022, city and county inspections were scaled back due to the pandemic.

In November last year, various city and county inspections took place at the company's building.

At that time, the CEO of Universal Meditech told city officials of a dispute with the landlord over the lease and related court proceedings.

The company left the building a month later.

It wasn't until that same time that Reedley officials noticed the lab located at 850 I Street in Reedley.

Three months later, the company submitted paperwork to move into a warehouse and office space on North Blattella Lane in east central Fresno

However, the city informed the company on Wednesday there were issues with the paperwork they submitted.

The city says it can not evaluate or approve the request until Universal Meditech hands over the appropriate paperwork, including a list of hazardous materials and handling of those materials.

As of Thursday, that has not happened.

Court documents show the lab was creating illegal pregnancy and COVID-19 tests.

There were 178 dead mice and 773 that had to be euthanized, and code enforcement found a large amount of mice poop on the floor when entering the facility.

A state waste investigation also found several freezers with containers labeled as serum or plasma and containers with the name of an infectious agent.

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