CatSci, a fast growing and adaptable contract research organisation (CRO), has announced a significant £2m investment plan to expand its process research and development facilities and equipment. In order to meet the evolving needs of its customers, CatSci is currently investing in three new laboratories: an OEB4 facility, a compact large-scale laboratory and a dedicated analytical laboratory to support drug substance development and testing.

 

The OEB4 facility, equipped with jacketed vessels from 1- to 5-litre scale and its own analytical LC-MS for reaction monitoring, is already in operation. This enhances CatSci’s capability to handle the development and scale-up of manufacturing processes for potent APIs. Typically targeting oncology, such compounds are increasingly being exploited in other therapy areas. Over £250k of new equipment will be retrofitted into the current large-scale laboratory to increase material supply capacity, with it being fully functional by summer 2019. This will enable the kilogram supply of non-GMP candidate drugs to customers for toxicity studies. The new analytical laboratory will also be completed by summer 2019, with the latest instrumentation enhancing CatSci’s process analytical technologies.

 

As part of its strategic growth, in late 2019, CatSci will expand its core process research and development labs and also recruit up to 20 members of staff over the next three years to work at its extended facilities.

 

This expansion of facilities, in parallel with the training and recruitment of talented staff, demonstrates CatSci’s commitment to continuously investing in and growing its world-class process research and development capabilities.

 

Dr Ross Burn, Chief Executive Officer at CatSci, said: “Since 2015, we have more than doubled in size to reflect the evolving and growing needs of our customers. This strategic expansion of our facilities and services allows us to continue this growth, enhancing our process research and development capabilities to better serve the creation of cutting-edge therapeutics”