NeoMPS gets acquired

PolyPeptide Laboratories Group is to acquire the peptide manufacturing group NeoMPS.

The move would see PolyPeptide Laboratories increasing its manufacturing capacity and capabilities from small-scale custom peptides for research to large-scale peptides for therapeutic applications.

"The addition of NeoMPS to the PolyPeptide Laboratories Group is a great fit, and offers customers of both companies an even more comprehensive range of services for every stage of development," PolyPeptide Laboratories chief executive Jane Salik said.

"With this acquisition, we are expanding our capacity to meet the needs of customers who demand the most robust, scalable and cost efficient peptide manufacturing available."

Through the acquisition, PolyPeptide Laboratories takes on NeoMPS' two facilities in Strasbourg, France, and San Diego, US, which will add to PolyPeptide Laboratories other facilities in Torrance, US, Hillerod, Denmark, and Malmo, Sweden, and the soon-to-be-launched generic peptide manufacturing facility in Mumbai, India.

NeoMPS offers more than 800 bioactive peptides in its portfolio, including HIV related peptides, enzyme substrates, and inhibitors.

The company also produces custom peptides, with more than 70,000 individual peptides having been synthesised, as well as more than 550 unusual amino acids and organic building blocks including beta-amino acids, gamma-amino acids, aminobenzoic acids, polyethylene glycol spacers, statines, and diamines.

The company also provides capacity for peptide modifications including cyclization, biotinylation, phosphorylation and labelling with fluorescent dyes.

NeoMPS facilities include 60 units for solid phase synthesis, capacity for 20 purifications a-day, 40 lyophilisation stations and six chemistry laboratories.

"By joining PolyPeptide Laboratories Group, we are able to offer customers our combined, highly complementary experience and capabilities.

Together, we can provide an unparalleled range of services," NeoMPS chief executive Serge Plaue said.

Harmonisation of procedures will be implemented in the coming months as the new facilities come on line.

Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

NeoMPS was formed in 2004 through the merger of France-based Neosystem and California-based Multiple Peptide Systems, both of which were launched as independent companies in 1986.

The company has manufactured more than 400 Good Manufacturing Practice grade peptides which are currently in clinical trials.

PolyPeptide Laboratories is a provider of custom and generic GMP-grade peptides for a range of pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications.