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an India-based CRO, said his company is addressing changing needs in the drug industry by integrating services in chemistry, biology, drug discovery, computational Year two sees increased enthusiasm for CHEMSPEC USA chemistry, and clinical research. Integration is one way of looking at strategic partnerships, he said. “The other CHEMSPEC USA RETURNED to is scale.” Philadelphia earlier this month, atPanelist Thomas E. D’Ambra, tracting some 1,200 attendees and chief executive officer of Albany nearly 100 exhibitors. The fledgling Molecular Research Inc., agreed North American iteration of the that global scale and breadth of serlong-running European exhibition vices will be a determining factor in of fine and specialty chemicals supcompeting for work in the pharmapliers saw a significant uptick in acceutical sector. In D’Ambra’s view, tivity over its debut last year when however, the need for innovative only 700 attendees registered. chemistry services will work to the Many attribute increased traffic to advantage of Western suppliers; the organizers, Quartz Business AMRI has operations in India and Media and Speciality Chemicals Singapore. Magazine, which scheduled a conD’Ambra described a reorganiference program during the exhibization of services at AMRI that the tion rather than on the day before, company has branded SmartSourcas they had done last year. ing, which integrates chemistry, biContinuing improvement in business in “But outsourcing has become ology, discovery, and development BIG PRESENCE AMRI showcased both the pharmaceutical and agricultural the critical path,” Murray said. work on a global scale. The proits integrated chemicals sectors may also have boosted “Pharma is trying to virtualize gram also includes in-sourcing, or services model interest in Chemspec USA this year. Still, as much research as possible.” the placement of AMRI researchin Philadelphia. the event—which is seen as a shot across Drug firms will be more closely ers at clients’ research facilities. the bow of Informex, the annual fine cheminvolved with contract research The company initiated one such icals exposition launched in the 1980s—is and manufacturing in critical in-sourcing relationship with Eli vying for attendees and exhibitors with areas of discovery and development, he Lilly & Co. in late 2011. several other industry events. ChemOutadded. European firms, which dominate the sourcing is scheduled for mid-September The shift to strategic partnerships will pharma-oriented manufacturing sector, in Long Branch, N.J., and Specialty & Agro not necessarily swing contract services were well represented at Chemspec USA, Chemicals America, a new event, for the back to the U.S., Murray explained. In the and several Chinese service firms had a pressame week in Wilmington, N.C. future, “we will be looking at five or so big ence. Xavier Jeanjean, director of sales for Despite the growing number of industry pharma companies dealing with a handful Isochem, a French fine chemicals producer gatherings, there is continued talk of conof very large contract research organizathat generally supplies pharma, said the Philsolidation in the pharmaceutical contract tions. Many will be in China and India,” he adelphia show was “better than we thought services sector. Consolidation was a theme said. it would be.” Isochem, he said, made new during an opening-day panel discussion John W. Ellingboe, senior vice president contacts with potential nonpharmaceutical on pharmaceutical outsourcing moderof discovery chemistry at GVK Biosciences, fine chemicals customers.—RICK MULLIN ated by Magid Abou-Gharbia, director of the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research at Temple University’s School of Pharmacy. Panelists, representing two drug companies and two contract research organizations (CROs), discussed an evolution in research and manufacturing services away from low-cost supply contracts and toward strategic partnerships. “Ten years ago, outsourcing was for supplementary projects we didn’t care much about,” said panelist William V. Murray, head of chemistry for cardiovascular and metabolism research at Janssen Research & Development, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Much work, therefore, went to low-cost service providers in Asia. WWW.CEN-ONLIN E .ORG
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