The Chirotech Technology Centre, based on the Cambridge Science Park, is the new 33,000ft2 home of Chirotech, a research and development organisation that has been part of Dr Reddys Laboratories since May 2008.
Chirotech has been involved in pharmaceutical intermediates and active ingredients for more than 20 years and has successfully developed routes and technology used to manufacture a number of APIs. One of the most successful of these is glaucoma treatment Travoprost (Travatan), which is manufactured at the Dr Reddys site in Mirfield, West Yorkshire.
In addition to these internal activities, work continues on projects for innovator companies through the Custom Pharmaceutical Services division of Dr Reddys. This work is focused primarily on efficient routes to pharmaceutical intermediates, which are then manufactured using the production assets available within Dr Reddy’s.
Additionally, there is considerable activity in the area of activated mPEGs where projects embrace both companies developing new biological entities, as well as companies working on biosimilars.
At the opening ceremony, attended by more than 100 guests from the industry, Dr Reddy and special guest Dr Hamied, chairman of Cipla and Honorary Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, unveiled a plaque and planted a tree in the grounds of the new facility.
‘We are delighted to have secured this excellent facility at the Cambridge Science Park. Being located in this historic University City and in one of the leading European centres for Science and Innovation makes it the ideal location to expand and develop our research, development and technology capabilities,’ said G V Prasad, vice chairman and chief executive of Dr Reddys.
‘This heralds a new era in our organisation and reinforces our commitment to building a high-quality global delivery and research organisation to meet the needs of our customers.’
The new Chirotech Technology Centre enables a significant increase in both the number of scientists and the scope of the activities on the site. In anticipation of the move, there has been a 60% increase in the number of laboratory based scientists, with plans in place for further recruitment to add to current strengths in biocatalysis and chemocatalysis and new areas of chemistry including continuous chemistry and the development of peptide manufacturing capabilities.
