Almac launches solid state services
Contract services provider Almac Sciences, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, has added solid state chemistry capabilities to its pharma service connections.
Contract services provider Almac Sciences, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, has added solid state chemistry capabilities to its pharma service connections.
Utilising state of the art analytical r&d technologies, the Solid State Chemistry team specialises in solid form characterisation, screening and selection, in addition to crystallisation process development.
"As regulatory and cost challenges become ever more demanding for complex new drugs, solid form science is increasingly key to drug performance, manufacturing and IP protection," said business development VP Dr Rosaleen McGuckin. "This is a further niche specialism that can have a major impact on product development timescales."
Optimal and well-defined crystal form is the key basis for a robust, large-scale crystallisation process that will reproducibly deliver consistent material at all key stages in product development.
By exploring polymorphs, salts, cocrystals and amorphous materials Almac says it can dramatically improve the characteristics of APIs. A variety of screening methods are employed to discover new solid forms. These may provide improvement in properties, such as increased solubility, bioavailability and stability.
Almac is also to expand its GMP and non-GMP radiolabelling (14C) service. "We plan to double our capacity in the next few months - and have seen particular recent interest in fermentation radiolabelling, which strongly complements our growing capabilities in biocatalysis," said McGuckin.
Almac can 14C label and formulate any compound - small molecules, peptides, potent, cytotoxic and fermentation products. 14C labeling services cover clinical and pre-clinical supplies; radiochemical stability studies; advice on label position; synthetic route design; storage and repurification and formulation of radiolabelled drug product.
