The CDMO headquartered at Wayne, Pennsylvania, said the multipurpose Scottish asset, which is able to handle highly active APIs and intermediates, is positioned to enable growth in the generic opioid analgesic and anti-addiction markets while also supporting the growing demands of the parent company’s existing customer base and unlocking future growth.  

This expansion is the first of two Veranova investments at the Scottish site, together worth $17 million; a second project is currently undergoing commissioning.

“This investment will see the Edinburgh facility expand to meet the growing demands that we are witnessing from customers and improve the flexibility of our asset base,” said David Payne, director of Veranova’s manufacturing operations in Scotland.

Niek Stapel, CEO of Veranova, added that the opening of the expanded Scottish facility illustrates the US company’s commitment to the provision of essential medicines, as well as being a reliable supplier of controlled substances to its global customer base.

The former Johnson Matthey subsidiary with operations in North America, Europe and Asia regards itself as a global leader in process development and manufacturing of APIs, with a focus on specialty and complex products.

The CDMO’s US GMP manufacturing operations are located at West Deptford, New Jersey, and Devens and Andover, Massachusetts. Outside the US, it has a base at Annan, UK, in addition to Edinburgh, as well as manufacturing and R&D centers at Cambridge, England, and Yantai, China.   

Veranova and its predecessor entities claim a “strong legacy of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry” that has spanned more than a century and seen the development of more than 100 APIs, including the first platinum-based drugs for cancer treatment.

With expertise across a diverse range of chemistry processes and technologies, including drug linkers for antibody drug conjugates, the company that now has more than 425 active patents works with a wide variety of pharmaceutical producers and biotechnology companies.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist