18 January 2010, Cambridgeshire, UK: An extension to the manufacturing transfer agreement that was put in place with GE Healthcare (GEHC) as part of the Quotient Bioresearch acquisition of Amersham Radiolabelling Services, the custom radiochemical synthesis operations of GE Healthcare, has now been agreed. This extension will assure customers of a smooth transition and uninterrupted supply of carbon-14 labelled compounds during the move of Amersham Radiolabelling Services from the existing site to its new state-of-the-art facility in Cardiff this Spring.
At the time of the acquisition in June 2009, Quotient formed its Chemistry & Metabolism business unit and announced a £15 million investment in a new facility in Cardiff. The dedicated facility will be equipped with world-class technology and operate to the highest environmental and safety standards. It will house the largest and most experienced team of radiosynthesis chemists in the world. Now, a timescale for completion and the transfer of production has been confirmed for Spring 2010.
Stephen Lewinton, Managing Director, Quotient Chemistry & Metabolism said: “We are very pleased with the progress of our new building. The extension we have agreed with GE Healthcare allows client work to continue as normal at the existing labs until commissioning of the new facility is completed. This gives us additional capability by allowing transfer of synthesis intermediates with no project delays and provides greater flexibility on completing regulatory processes and validations at the new facility. The bottom line is that we can assure our clients that at no time will all of the labs be closed, and so service can effectively be maintained throughout the transition period.”
Paul Cowan, CEO of Quotient Bioresearch said: “We remain excited by this acquisition and the client feedback we have received since June, and believe it provides a strong cornerstone for our unique ‘synthesis to clinic’ capability. The extension of transitional arrangements with GE Healthcare will remove a great deal of uncertainty concerning our ability to continuously and seamlessly service our client’s needs during this period.”
Quotient’s ‘synthesis to clinic’ capability allows it to provide a seamless service from synthesis of a compound to clinical report for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients engaged in studies containing radiolabelled compounds. This integrated service simplifies the procurement of regulatory and non-regulatory studies, resulting in shorter development times and associated efficiencies. Quotient offers its clients a unique service that combines the manufacture of custom radiolabelled drug compounds; a full range of in vivo and in vitro metabolism studies covering all FDA guidelines; clinical studies, including Human AME studies, ivMicrotracerTM, and Phase 0 microdosing studies; and a broad range of bioanalytical services.
For more details about how Quotient can add value to your development programmes – visit: www.quotientbioresearch.com.
About Quotient Bioresearch
Quotient is a leading provider of drug development services with a focus on early-stage drug development. The Company offers a unique range of drug development services through its three principal operating units – Quotient Chemistry & Metabolism, Quotient Bioanalytical Sciences (including Microbiology) and Quotient Clinical. Quotient has grown rapidly in the past three years, through a combination of both acquisition-led and organic growth. Quotient Bioresearch is part of Quotient Bioscience Group, which comprises Quotient Bioresearch, HFL Sport Science and Quotient Biodiagnostics.
