Acquisition brings complementary capabilities to Almac.

Ireland-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Almac Group announced the acquisition of Ireland-based contract research organization (CRO) BioClin Laboratories for an undisclosed amount. BioClin provides cGMP pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical analysis, GMP microbiology testing, and good laboratory practice bioanalysis services in a 14,000-ft² analytical facility that is GLP certified (INAB), cGMP certified (HPRA) and FDA registered.

This latest move further expands Almac’s analytical capacity, enabling the company to better serve its customers needs on a global basis. The company recently expanded its analytical facilities at its headquarters in Ireland, including the creation of a laboratory approved by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

“We are very pleased to join Almac,” said BioClin Laboratories Managing Director Mary Burke. “With our shared values for outstanding quality, expertise and innovation we see this as an excellent strategic fit for BioClin enabling us to expand and deliver an enhanced range of analytical solutions to an international client market.”

Added Dr. Stephen Barr, Managing Director of Almac Sciences: “We are delighted to announce this acquisition demonstrating further commitment to strategic growth and development of our global business. Adding BioClin’s highly complementary analytical capacity and technical expertise to our existing capabilities, we are able to broaden our service offerings and address our global clients’ growing demands for a high quality, integrated, efficient service. We look forward to working with the BioClin team and plan to invest significantly in this facility.”

Almac also recently completed a multi-million dollar expansion of facilities at Ireland-based Arran Chemical Company, which it acquired in 2015, that increased its production capacity for fine chemicals, pharmaceutical intermediates and advanced building blocks. The multi-purpose pilot plant was refit and repurposed to accommodate new 6,300 L glass lined and 2m³ Hastelloy® vessels were installed and qualified. Existing refrigeration capabilities were improved, and warehousing and waste processing facilities were enhanced.

Arran specializes in chiral chemistry and has traditionally focused on chemocatalysis. In response to growing interest within the industry in enzyme catalysis, the company has also expanded its selectAZyme™ enzyme platform to more than 4,000 unique enzymes from diverse biological sources, some of which are new enzyme classes. All can be manufactured at the kilogram to tonne scales.

Both moves at Arran Chemical Company are part of the firm’s implementation of its “Arran Deploys Advanced Production Technologies” (ADAPT) strategy. “The deployment of the ADAPT strategy, the recent expansion of core production facilities and the development of next generation manufacturing technologies sets the pace for future growth,” said Prof Tom Moody, VP Technology Development and Commercialization at Arran. “As the demand for outsourced procurement of advanced intermediates and building blocks continues to grow, we remain fixated upon meeting our clients’ present and future requirements for uninterrupted supply.”