EaglePicher decided to sell its pharma business as part of the restructuring that followed its Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August, leaving its laboratory facilities in Lenexa, Kansas, and manufacturing plant in Harrisonville, Missouri, to Aptuit.
The acquisition, whose terms were not disclosed, will give Aptuit the ability to provide its customers with process development and novel route development, preclinical drug substance supply, clinical drug substance supply, radio synthesis, niche commercial supply and technology transfer packages.
Although the current facilities are configured to provide milligram, gram, kilogram, and tonne scale production, Aptuit intends to make significant investments in its API operations over the next 18 months, upgrading the Harrisonville facility and obtaining a lab-based process development and kilo lab capability.
"To promise a seamless drug development offering, you must first supply active ingredients, as all further development is dependent upon API," said Aputit CEO Michael Griffith.
"This acquisition represents a significant milestone for Aptuit and differentiates our offering as we seek to engineer a better drug development process."
After the acquisition, which is expected to close within 90 days, Aptuit will have 12 facilities globally, complemented by a clinical trial distribution network of 27 supply depots, accessing more than 70 countries.
The company provides drug development consulting and project management, preclinical technologies, analytical chemistries, informatics and information management, and clinical packaging and logistics.
The EaglePicher unit, on the other hand, specialises in APIs and high-potency compounds that are used to produce anti-cancer drugs and other high-potency pharmaceuticals.
In addition to APIs, EaglePicher Pharmaceutical, formerly Midwest Research Institute (MRI), provides support in radiolabelling, early- to-late-stage product development, analytical aid and other services.