Cambrex - Scotland
Cambrex acquired Avista in 2019, following previous acquisition of Solid Form Solutions Ltd, a global organisation providing drug substance, drug product and analytical services across the entire drug lifecycle.
Small molecule company that provides drug substance, drug product and analytical services across the entire drug lifecycle
At their incubation stage, Midlothian-based Solid Form Solutions (SFS) leased shared laboratory space at Roslin BioCentre, where the company was based for four years. SFS initially offered contract research services to the pharmaceutical industry and as the company rapidly grew, it expanded its services into process development, increasing its workforce and doubling turnover.
The company relocated in 2012 to larger premises at Edinburgh Technopole. SFS employed its first US based employee in 2015 and looks to expand its US operations.
Midlothian Science Zone talks with Dr Stephen Watt, previously CEO of Solid Form Solutions
What is your background and role in the organisation?
I obtained a 1st Class Honours degree in Chemistry from Napier University in 1998 and went on to obtain a PhD in materials chemistry from Heriot-Watt University. Following this, I went to Cambridge University to become a Post Doctoral Researcher where I worked on Pharmaceutical Materials as a part of the Pfizer Institute. From there I joined a small Contract Research Organisation (CRO) performing solid form screening for the pharmaceutical industry before joining GSK as a senior scientist in their solid form sciences group.
After a short spell at another CRO heading up a solid form screening group, together with two other family members, I founded Solid Form Solutions Ltd in 2008, where I took charge of technical operations. Solid Form Solutions grew into a company of 40 people and my role changed into an outright CEO function.
What are your career highlights/successes?
Solid Form Solutions organic growth from a company of three people to a company of 40 people and seeing the revenue of SFS increase 38% from 2014/2015 to 2015/2016. The company was acquired by Avista Pharma in 2018 and this has subsequently by Cambrex in January 2019.
Highlights have also been providing job opportunities to local scientists and having the opportunity to bring the best solid form scientists and equipment to Midlothian. Perhaps, above all, the greatest achievement is being part of drug development programmes that would not have been successful if SFS had not been around and have thus go on to save lives.
As far as company awards, we were extremely pleased to receive recognition from Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce as winners of the 2011 Business High Growth award.
What is the main purpose of the organisation?
Our services are used separately to solve specific problems, or in parallel to deliver a larger drug development program. Our aim is to be flexible, understand our client’s requirements and deliver workable solutions.
SFS’s solid form work programs include:
Salt Screening
Co-crystal Screening
Crystallisation Screening
Polymorph Screening
Scale-up Crystallisation
Physical Properties and Developability Testing
Particle Engineering
GMP Analytical Release Testing
Why did you choose to locate to a science park?
Edinburgh Technopole offered high quality laboratory space in a beautiful location. Also, Edinburgh has some of the best scientific facilities and people in the world; hence, Edinburgh Technopole is ideally suited. Furthermore, Edinburgh is my home town and an attractive place to live for people who wish to relocate and work for SFS.
What support/assistance do you find of most benefit within a ‘park’ environment?
SFS had been developed to be as self-sufficient as possible; however, being close to other scientific companies has been beneficial, on occasion, to share resources. Further the infra-structure of the park (i.e. for installation of scientific equipment) is excellent and has clearly had laboratory operations in mind.
What do you enjoy most about working in Midlothian?
Midlothian is a beautiful place to work and has good transport links (it takes me 30 minutes to travel from East Lothian to Edinburgh Technopole, the equivalent journey in the south of England took over 1 hour). Midlothian council is also supportive of young businesses, which makes starting up a whole a lot easier. The supportive attitude of the councils personnel and the many local grant schemes should model for national bodies.
What does the future hold?
Following acquisition in 2018 by Avista Pharma, their four sites in Durham, NC, Longmont, CO, Agawam, MA and Edinburgh, Scotland, UK were integrated into Cambrex’s global network with a prescence in thirteen location.
Cambrex provides drug substance, drug product and analytical services across the entire drug lifecycle to accelerate small molecule therapeutics into the market.
Tell us more about Cambrex?
Cambrex has over 35 years’ experience and a growing team of over 2,100 experts servicing global clients from sites in North America and Europe, Cambrex is tried and trusted partner in branded and generic markets for API and dosage form development and manufacturing.
Cambrex offers a range of specialist drug substance technologies and capabilities including biocatalysis, continuous flow, controlled substances, solid state science, material characterization and highly potent APIs. In addition, Cambrex can support conventional dosage forms including oral solids, semi-solids and liquids and has the expertise to manufacture specialist dosage forms such as modified-release, fixed dose combination, pediatric, bi-layer tablets, stick packs, topicals, controlled substances, sterile and non-sterile ointments.
For further information, please contact:
Cambrex
1 The Fleming Building
Edinburgh Technopole
Milton Bridge, Penicuik
Midlothian, EH26 0BE
t: +44 (0)131 440 8000