Drug company expansion after grant success
A CHEMICAL company plans a £100,000 expansion to increase production of drugs for medical research around the world.
Billingham-based Cambridge Research Biochemicals (CRB), a manufacturer of peptides and antibodies, is to buy a new chemical synthesiser to make more peptides for use in drug discovery, for to the pharmaceutical industry and used in academic disease research.
The expansion, which has been made possible thanks to a £34,000 Grant for Business Investment from regional development agency One North East, will also help Cambridge provide an enhanced “peptide synthesis” service which makes hundreds of peptides simultaneously on a sub-micro scale. The company will be recruiting two chemists to support this activity. Emily Humphrys, CRB commercial director said: “We are thrilled to have been supported by One North East and are optimistic about our future growth. We aim to be the UK’s number one specialist company for research peptides and antibodies and the first- choice supplier. We are also intent on increasing export sales that account for 46% of turnover.”
One North East director of business and industry Ian Williams said: “I am pleased that we have been able to support this company.” CRB’s customers include pharmaceutical giants Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca. In 1989, the business was acquired by ICI and relocated .
For Grant for Business Investment support call 0845 600 9006 or see www.businesslink.gov.uk/northeast
