SAFC Enters South Korean BioPharma Market With CrystalGenomics Agreement

SAFC Pre-formulation Services to Support Next-generation NSAID Product Development 

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation recently announced that its custom manufacturing and services business unit, SAFC®, has signed an agreement with Seoul, South Korea-based CrystalGenomics to support the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for next-generation non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). The agreement represents SAFC’s premier pre-formulation services contract into the growing South Korean pharmaceutical market.

CrystalGenomics is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that engages in the discovery and development of innovative drugs based on structural chemoproteomics, a technology designed to accelerate drug discovery. The company is developing three clinical stage candidates. The lead program is a next-generation NSAID for osteoarthritis and is in phase 3 development. In addition to next-generation NSAID, the company is developing multiple novel candidates in various stages of development for various therapeutic areas with focus on inflammation, oncology, CNS and infection.

Per the agreement, CrystalGenomics will employ SAFC’s Pharmorphix® Pre-formulation Technology services which are based in Cambridge, UK, to enable understandings of the physical properties of APIs. The services can also aid in determining the selection of optimal crystallization processes, ensure batch-to-batch consistency in manufacturing and help to maintain efficacy and patient safety.

"Our expertise in the pre-formulation of pharmaceuticals has allowed us to engage with CrystalGenomics through this agreement and to introduce our unique technologies to the South Korea market,” said SAFC President, Gilles Cottier. “As the drug discovery and development process becomes increasingly complex and expensive, we feel that our pre-formulation services are well-positioned to help pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies around the globe to accelerate their pipelines.”

To learn more about the latest advances in SAFC’s pre-formulation services, visit Pharmorphix® Solid State Chemistry Services | Complex Emerging Technologies(http://www.safcglobal.com/safc-pharma/en-us/home/complex-emerging-technologies/pharmorphix-solid.html).

About SAFC
SAFC, the custom manufacturing and services business unit of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, is recognized as a top 10 global specialty chemicals and biologics supplier. As a trusted manufacturer for the life science and high technology industries, SAFC works closely with customers to resolve development challenges and accelerate the product pipeline utilizing its global "Centers of Excellence" and dedicated manufacturing facilities. Its rich portfolio includes high-purity inorganic materials for high technology applications, critical raw materials and extensive biologics safety testing services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and complex, high-potent APIs and key intermediates for pharmaceutical manufacturing. For more information, visit www.safcglobal.com.

About Sigma-Aldrich
Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company whose biochemical, organic chemical products, kits and services are used in scientific research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostics and high technology manufacturing. Sigma-Aldrich customers include more than 1.3 million scientists and technologists in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals and industry. The Company operates in 38 countries and has nearly 9,100 employees whose objective is to provide excellent service worldwide. Sigma-Aldrich is committed to accelerating customer success through innovation and leadership in Life Science and High Technology. For more information, visit www.sigma-aldrich.com.