Cambrex Corp. is expanding its solid form screening and crystallization process development facility in Edinburgh, Scotland, doubling the current footprint to 15,000 sq. ft. The site currently has 50 employees and the expansion will add lab space to accommodate as many as 40 more scientists, with the potential for further growth in the future. Fit out is expected to begin in late August 2019 and completed by the end of the year.
 
The Edinburgh site provides solid form development services for drug substance and drug product, including solid state investigations such as salt, co-crystal and polymorph screening, in addition to crystallization process development and GMP analytical services.
 
The expanded lab space will allow the installation of additional instruments and reactors for larger scale crystallization studies and solid form screening capabilities. Plans are in place for the installation of new ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and gas chromatography instruments, as well as additional process analytical technology (PAT) tools.
 
“This strategic expansion, the increase in headcount and the investment in new equipment will enable us to serve more customers in the solid state screening market,” said Mark Benger, Edinburgh site director, Cambrex. “We have increasingly been asked by clients for additional services such as larger scale crystallization and we will now be able to provide these as well as adding greater efficiency and capacity at the Edinburgh site.”
 
Edinburgh became part of Cambrex’s global network of development and manufacturing facilities after the acquisition of Avista Pharma Solutions earlier this year.