MedPharm has opened a new $750,000 GLP laboratory at its UK headquarters in Guildford to support growth of its specialized skin permeation/penetration and in vitro release testing (IVRT) services for topical formulations. The lab is equipped with analytical equipment including HPLC, UPLC and LC-MS/MS. The additional space provides further capacity for in vitro/ex vivo performance and equivalence testing models for topical, ophthalmic, nail, nasal and inhaled drugs/medical devices.
 
The new facility also expands microbiological capacity, increasing output in areas of ex vivo/ in vitro efficacy testing for anti-infectives, as well as the development of new drug formulations for inflammatory skin conditions and the development and testing of novel drug delivery systems.
 
Andrew Muddle, MedPharm’s chief executive officer, said, “All dermatology companies need to find and launch new products. Therefore traditional players in the prescription field are all on acquisition sprees, the latest being the interesting tussle between Valeant and Merz over Obagi. We are also seeing Allergan come back strongly into the dermatology space. Meanwhile Merck Consumer Healthcare, GSK Consumer, Johnson & Johnson and Beiersdorf are all increasingly active in the OTC skin-care market.”