Almac Opens New Facility

Following completion of the initial phase of a £6.5 million project, Craigavon-based pharmaceutical company Almac has significantly expanded its pharmaceutical development services by creating a new 13,400 square feet formulation development facility complete with two new analytical laboratories.

As the new facility builds to full capacity over the next 2-3 years, it is anticipated that up to 50-60 additional staff will be employed in analytical and formulation development roles as well as other indirect support roles.

The new facility will primarily focus on the development of tablet and capsule formulations for new drugs which are in the early stages of development and which have not yet reached the market. The new "non-GMP" facility will enable greater speed in formulation and process development, by creating an environment where development work can be progressed quickly and efficiently, free of many of the constraints usually associated with drug manufacturing. This is possible because the drugs produced are prototypes which are used only to develop the formulation and manufacturing process and are not for human use. However, the new facility mirrors the technical capabilities already available in existing facilities where products are made for human use at a larger scale, so when the product has been developed at a small scale, to an appropriate stage, it can be transferred easily.

John McQuaid, VP. Technical Operations, Pharma Services, explained: "Almac's new non-GMP expansion is a welcome addition to our existing facilities; it complements our existing GMP facilities, but crucially it enables us to operate with improved speed and efficiency in the early stages of projects. We can now offer a very attractive package to our clients, with a larger and more competitive service offering within the international drug development arena."

(CD)