Extended Service Offering Creates Solid Drug Development Foundation, Allowing Customers To “Get it Right the First Time”

 

 

GREENWICH, CT, February 1, 2007 – Aptuit, Inc. announced today that it has completed the acquisitions of EaglePicher Pharmaceutical Services, LLC, (EPPS) and SSCI, Inc., adding active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) development and manufacture as well as industry-leading solid-state chemistry to its portfolio of drug development services. The acquisitions further enable Aptuit to streamline the API development and supply process for customers as well as to help them gain a better understanding of their compound’s characterization profile up front to minimize delays and reduce the time and cost of commercialization.

 

“These acquisitions mark a significant milestone in Aptuit’s growth as a leading provider of comprehensive drug development services,” said Michael A. Griffith, CEO of Aptuit. “We now offer not only the capability to develop and manufacture an API, but solid form discovery and testing to give customers full knowledge of the characterization of their molecule’s physical properties and most optimal form early in development. This knowledge can bridge the gap between API development and formulation, minimizing surprises later on that can compromise a drug’s profile.”

 

Aptuit now offers integrated services in API development, manufacture, scale-up and supply, backed by top-tier polymorph, salt, co-crystal, amorphous material, and analytical research that can generate solid form discovery and lead to a successful IND and Quality by Design. Customers can also take advantage of SSCI’s legal consulting practice, now part of Aptuit Consulting, which is an extensive legal services group that has broad expertise in science-based patent prosecution, patent litigation and counterfeit drug identification.

 

“As part of the acquisitions, we gained not only additional top-tier services, but a highly skilled workforce, showing our commitment to offering both a solid service offering and world-class science and technology,” noted Michael Butler, President, Scientific Operations. “Our first priority is the seamless integration of the businesses for customers and employees alike. Project teams will be maintained and customers should see no interruption in service. In addition, we hope that customers can move projects forward more effectively by taking advantage of our horizontal project management and broad suite of additional services across the drug development continuum.”

 

In addition to the acquisitions, Aptuit will invest further internally, with planned expansions to API facilities and top-level analytical services for protein and peptide drugs. Aptuit also will build first class lab-based process development and kilo lab capability. By integrating the expertise of both EPPS and SSCI and building upon its already robust offering, Aptuit has moved further toward its vision of a seamless drug development offering, from discovery through commercialization.

 

Aptuit has established a comprehensive suite of drug development services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovators, including industry-leading consulting expertise, API development and manufacture, preclinical technologies, analytical chemistries, informatics and information management, and clinical packaging and logistics. Aptuit now operates in 15 facilities globally, complemented by a clinical trial distribution network of 27 supply depots, accessing more than 70 countries worldwide. 

 

About the Deals:

Aptuit acquired EPPS’ businesses in Lenexa, Kansasand Harrisonville, Missouriand capabilities in process development and novel route development; preclinical drug substance supply; clinical drug substance supply; radiosynthesis; commercial supply; and technology transfer packages. The current offering includes milligram, gram, kilogram, and ton scale production. Aptuit will retain the current EPPS workforce and plans to make significant investments in its API operation over the next 18 months to upgrade existing facilities, extend its range of capabilities, and improve its regulatory profile. 

 

Aptuit acquired SSCI’s facilities in West Lafayette, Indiana; Atlanta, Georgia; and Oxford, UK, and retained SSCI’s approximately 100 employees, including the SSCI legal consulting team. Aptuit now offers customers: solid form control throughout the development process; state-of-the-art analytical services, especially as they relate to solids; and SSCI’s reputation as a cGMP analytical services laboratory. The SSCI executive team was also integrated into the Aptuit executive team.

 

SSCI will continue to operate under the SSCI brand for a period of time, but customers will have a seamless transition between the SSCI and Aptuit service offerings.

 

 

About Aptuit:

Aptuit, Inc. is a global company focused on streamlining and supporting the drug development process for biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovators. The company was founded by a group of industry experts with extensive market experience who have a track record of building a similar, highly successful company through acquisitions and investment. Aptuit provides a comprehensive suite of product development services and competencies to more than 500 biotechnology and large, fully integrated pharmaceutical innovators worldwide. Currently, the company has more than 2,000 employees, 15 global facilities, and resources to reach 70 countries. Aptuit’s mission is to engineer a better drug development process, and is partnered with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, one of the world’s largest private equity investors. For more information about Aptuit, please visit www.aptuit.com. 

 

Contact:

Michael A. Griffith, CEO, Aptuit, Inc.

(203) 422-6600, info@aptuit.com

or

Courtney Harris, Feinstein Kean Healthcare

(617) 761-6744, courtney.harris@fkhealth.com