Results: 2007 European outsourcing awards

Vetter Pharma-Fertigung bagged the prize of "most improved process/plant/facility" in recognition of its new facility Ravensburg Vetter South, Germany, which began operating at the beginning of the year.

Solvias was hailed as having the "most effective scale-up/technology transfer", judged on a company's ability to focus on capacity issues and carry out a fast and efficient transfer from the lab to full-scale production.

UK-contract research organisation Synergy won the "most innovative relationship" accolade, for its in-house, out-sourcing business model, which provides firms with the advantage of outsourcing some of their laboratory research processes, while still having a dedicated team of scientists on site to conduct work in the lab - a set-up that Synergy says is "unique."

Ireland's EirGen Pharma, meanwhile, scored recognition for "outstanding applications in generics," for construction, validation and local regulatory approval of its high containment facility over a recent period of six months.

The award for "best contract analytical development project" went to SGS Life Science Services.

Judges were looking for the firm who was most successful in "eliminating international barriers for global clients to provide the same analytical service all around the world".

Meanwhile, the "best contract manufacturing project" prize was awarded to Recipharm, for its ability to facilitate the "transfer and commercial availability of a challenging solid dose product in only four months."

Recognition of the "best new partnership," of less than three years old or still in its implementation/transition stage was given to Bosch Sigpack and Burgopak for their packaging automation partnership.

French contract manufacturer Pharmatis was commended for pulling off the "best merger/acquisition".

The "supply chain management" award was given to Brecon Pharmaceuticals for "raising the bar to meet Japanese expectations" in the implementation of a supply chain/track-and-trace application or business process.

And finally, this year's "best new product" prize was won by Colorcon for its StarCap 1500: an excipient for capsule filling and high dose DC applications.

The excipient is said to be unique and was derived and produced via an outsourcing collaboration.