NEWS
IN BRIEF
IMCD buys Blumos Group IMCD is to acquire the Blumos Group , a distributor of speciality ingredients and chemicals for the food , pharmaceutical and industrial markets across Latin America . The deal is expected to close in Q4 , subject to regulatory approval . Based in Santiago , the group has five subsidiaries in Chile , Peru and Argentina , and employs about 160 people .
New lab for CatSCci CatSci has opened a second oligonucleotides laboratory and is also remodelling its largest laboratory space into a centre of excellence for oligonucleotide development . A key component is a fully-automated synthesiser , optimised to create large pools of candidate sequences . Using these workflows , CatSci can reduce the time required for a screening campaign using traditional synthesis techniques by over 95 %.
SK Pharmteco expands in small molecules , peptides
CDMO SK Pharmteco has announced plans to invest $ 260 million in a new small molecule and peptide facility in Sejong , South Korea , the fifth in its home country and the cornerstone of its global manufacturing network . This is scheduled to begin operations in late 2026 , creating over 300 jobs .
“ By investing in this new facility , we ’ re increasing our capacity in Asia in line with our global expansion strategy and solidifying our position as a trusted partner for companies developing groundbreaking treatments , demonstrating our adaptability and reliability in a rapidly changing industry ,” claimed CEO Joerg Ahlgrimm .
The 12,600 m 2 facility will feature eight production trains with capacity in the tens of tonnes . It will also include peptide R & D facilities , cGMP kilo labs and a cGMP pilot plant for peptide manufacturing . In addition , a shell will be built for a sixth manufacturing plant for rapid future expansion .
The facility will be able support early-stage clinical and commercial production “ with great flexibility ”, the firm said . It has also been designed to address supply chain issues in the sector “ by providing a scalable and reliable solution for producing these critical therapies ”.
Oleon gets big in Brazil Oleochemicals producer Oleon has acquired a majority stake in A . Azevedo Óleos , a Brazilian oleochemical company specialised in castor oil and its derivatives . The company said that this strengthens its position in the rapidly growing South American market and that Azevedo fits in with the sustainable agriculture and industrial practices of its parent firm .
Lesaffre buys Altar French fermentation and microorganisms giant Lesaffre has acquired its compatriot Altar from Ginkgo Bioworks . Ginkgo will retain access to Altar ’ s technology . Altar specialises in adaptive laboratory evolution and has developed a technology for continuous , uninterrupted cultivation of microorganism cultures under controlled conditions to select strains with specific properties for as long as necessary .
Peptide production at SK Pharmteco
8 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981