Aesica moved its clinical trial material manufacturing operations from Nottingham to a new purpose built centre late last month, citing a desire to increase capacity and better integrate this part of its business with its commercial production operations.
Managing director Ian Muir told us the centre “will focus on formulation development, analytical method development and stability in support of projects in pre commercial Phase I-III of development.”
He added that: “By co locating the facility at our largest API and Finished Dose commercial site we would hope to drive greater integration with the commercial site, reduce the risks of technology transfer for customers and reduce the overall development cycle time.”
Aesica was acquired by Consort Medical in 2014. The deal was driven by Consort’s desire to expand its inhalable and injectable drug manufacturing unit, Bespak.
Nottingham
Unlike the new facility that Aesica owns outright, the previous clinical manufacturing facility located at a leased unit at Nottingham’s BioCity biotech and drug production hub.
Aesica – which took on the lease for the Nottingham site when it acquired clinical manufacturing specialist R5 Pharmaceuticals in 2010 – shared the facility with spray-drying technology firm Upperton.
Upperton CEO Richard Johnson told us his firm had maintained a presence in BioCity at the former Aesica site despite having relocated to Nottingham’s MediCity complex in September last year.