Solutia PSD Invests in Chromatography to Build Its Integrated Chemistry Services Business

Solutia Pharmaceutical Services Division (Solutia PSD) - the integrated drug development service provider - today announces the launch of its latest Center of Excellence in chemistry services, chromatography. The new chromatography service will offer Solutia PSD clients flexible and customized solutions for the separation and purification of lead compounds and intermediates. To accommodate the new service offering, Solutia PSD has established a dedicated group of chemists (over 50 percent of whom hold a Ph.D.) to apply their expertise to chromatography. "This talented group of employees offers highly specialized skills and in-depth knowledge in critical areas such as method development, feasibility studies and the scaling up of chromatographic separations from milligrams to kilograms using Medium and High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (MPLC/HPLC) and Simulated Moving Bed Chromatography (SMB), all within a clean and safe cGMP environment," said Dr. Markus Juza, head of chromatographic services for Solutia PSD.

In addition, Solutia PSD has invested in the latest equipment to ensure its chromatography group can deliver the highest level of efficiency available in chromatographic services today. "The recent acquisition of a second Licosep SMB unit and a 20 cm DAC-HPLC column from Novasep offers us the flexibility to start new projects at any time." says Juza. "We have increased our group's resources in terms of both staffing and equipment over the last year in order to accommodate demand for the new service. Based on what we are hearing from our clients, we expect an immediate interest in these services that will lead to further growth in Solutia PSD's stand-alone and integrated projects."

"Solutia PSD is dedicated to helping our clients reduce the time, cost and risks associated with drug development," said Ed Robinson, president of Solutia PSD. "This latest investment in our chemistry services is consistent with that philosophy. The roll out of chromatography services represents just another step in our ongoing process of reviewing and enhancing our drug development capabilities to keep up with changing client needs and deliver on the science, speed and quality that is our trademark."