The unit at the Purdue Research Park in West Layfayette, Indiana was founded in 2005 is a manufacturer of “legacy” and small volume pharmaceuticals and currently employs a staff of 12.
Despite becoming the sole US producer of the broad-spectrum antibiotic Seromycin (cycloserine) in 2007 through a deal fellow Indiana-based Eli Lilly, the centre has struggled to secure additional business.
Joseph Hornett, COO of the Purdue Research Foundation, touched on some this idea, explaining that the decision to cease operations follows the centre’s failure to develop into a going concern within the five-year goal set out in the original business plan.
He explained that: “Contributing factors include the economic downturn and the challenges with producing small-volume drugs.”
The research foundation said it will seek a new contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) to move into the facility, but did not name any specific targets or issue a timescale of the plan.
Seromycin supplies secure for time being
The Chao Center will continue to produce Seromycin, which is used to treat patients with multiple-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), until a suitable replacement CMO can be found to take over production.
While this commitment will be welcome news for the 450,000 people infected with MDR-TB each year according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is clearly a need for a replacement Seromycin manufacturer to take over longer term.
Speaking last year after the centre’s donation of $360,000 worth of the antibiotic to treatment programmes Cambodia and Ethiopia Anne Goldfield, co founder of the Global Health Committee, set out the scale of the growing MDR-TB problem.
"There is a great need for medications around the world. Right now there are about 6,000 people a year with multidrug-resistant TB in Ethiopia and many more worldwide who have no access to drugs."