Outsourcing specialists offer enhanced services

A strategic partnership between two outsourcing specialists will enable virtual, small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies to progress investigational medicinal products (IMPs) through to clinical trials manufacture, using a wide variety of materials characterisation, pre-formulation and formulation techniques.

The collaboration between London-based Pharmaterials and Penn Pharmaceutical Services in South Wales gives new and existing clients the opportunity to combine the state-of-the art analytical techniques for materials characterisation and product development offered by Pharmaterials with the larger scale, GMP compliant, formulation development, clinical manufacturing and stability monitoring functions offered by Penn.

Dr Chris Higgins, Penn's director of business development is hopeful that the partnership can lead to some exciting opportunities for the two organisations: 'Penn has a strong track-record in conducting formulation development projects to the required GMP standards for virtual, small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies. Through our partnership with Pharmaterials we can now add a host of specialist services for solid-form r&d and pre-formulation screening to our already comprehensive offering thereby operating a seamless process from project concept as far as contract manufacture.'

Pharmaterials operations manager Dr Mark Saunders adds: 'We have been constantly developing our range of services since our inception in 2000 and the ability to scale up formulation products to GMP is one of the key elements of our future strategy. We see the strategic partnership with Penn, alongside our own plans for further investment in specialist equipment and facilities, as a major phase of our growth plan.