Albany Molecular Research establishes Singapore research centre

Albany Molecular Research (AMRI) has established a wholly owned subsidiary, Albany Molecular Research Singapore Research Centre(AMRSRC). AMRI expects to initiate operations in Singapore in the first quarter of 2005, with the goal of providing a full range of fee-for-service chemistry technologies, including medicinal and combinatorial chemistry; process research and scale-up chemistry; analytical services and cGMP manufacture of APIs.

'AMRI's expansion into Singapore represents the first step in a strategic move to globalise our services platform,' said AMRI chairman, president and ceo Dr Thomas E. D'Ambra. 'We expect our operations in Singapore will allow us to address new markets in areas with burgeoning biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, such as Japan, Australia and the Pacific Rim. We believe ultimately that a global range of options will lead to an increase in growth for AMRI's US-based service operations.'

AMRI's Singapore operations will be overseen by senior vice president, chemistry, Dr Michael P. Trova, and led in Singapore by assistant director, medicinal chemistry Dr Polivina Jolicia F. Gauuan. Three additional scientists from Albany will be relocating to Singapore to form the nucleus of AMRSRC, and they are actively recruiting in Singapore with the expectation of hiring new scientists locally in the coming months.

D'Ambra concluded, 'We are excited to participate in this industrial expansion in Singapore as the first healthcare research company located there with strength in chemistry research and know-how. We especially appreciate the support provided by the Singapore government through the economic development board.'