Solvay expands its successful peptide activities through the incorporation of Peptisyntha, Inc. in the US
Technological synergies and geographic expansion
Solvay announces the creation of Peptisyntha, Inc. in Torrance, California on August 1, 2001 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Solvay America, Inc. The new company will include R&D facilities and GMP-compliant ("Good Manufacturing Practices") manufacturing capabilities. Solvay anticipates that it will be operational before the end of this year, after completion of qualification tests. It will be managed by a team of scientists with specific expertise in solid-phase technology.
Peptisyntha, Inc. strengthens the position of the Solvay Group in the field of peptides by bringing R&D synergies with Belgium-based Peptisyntha S.A., a leading manufacturer of peptides with a proprietary solution-phase technology. The new company will offer peptides ranging from research samples to commercial quantities required by potential customers to support the development of their pharmaceutical products.
"The Solvay Group's peptide business enjoys excellent growth and its sales have increased many-fold in recent years. With Peptisyntha, Inc., Solvay will have a US-platform to initiate and further develop R&D and commercial contacts in the important US market" said Mr. A. Hoffait, Manager of Solvay's peptide business.
Peptisyntha S.A. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Solvay S.A. and is dedicated to the production of peptides. It owes its success to an original synthesis process born from a partnership with the University of Gent, Belgium and subsequently developed by Solvay's research teams. The Peptisyntha industrial plant is located on the Solvay Research and Technology site in Brussels (Belgium). Production facilities have been audited successfully by the American Food and Drug Administration. They have expanded several times, with the latest expansion, to start soon, aiming at doubling the existing capacity to respond to the growth and diversification in demand for peptides.
Peptides consist of specific chains of natural and/or synthetic amino acids. Many peptides play important roles in the regulation of various physiological functions and, therefore, are used as active ingredients by the pharmaceutical industry in a broad range of therapeutic applications.
Solvay is an international chemicals and pharmaceuticals group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs about 32,000 people in 50 countries. In 2000 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.9 billion generated by its four activity sectors: Chemicals, Plastics, Processing and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay is listed on the Euronext 100 index of top European companies. Details are available at www.solvay.com and on www.peptisyntha.com.
