CatSci Ltd.

The deal was supported by Keensight Capital, a private equity manager focusing on pan-European investments in the technology and healthcare sectors. Headquartered in the UK, and with facilities in the UK and France, Reach Separations provides state-of-the-art chromatography services for the analysis and purification of therapeutics. The company makes use of supercritical fluid chromatography (SLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment to accelerate discovery programs, specialising in the analysis and purification of small molecules. The acquisition will allow CatSci to offer its partners access to chromatography services from discovery to manufacturing of small molecules, oligonucleotides and other synthetic therapeutics. “We are excited to welcome Reach Separations into the CatSci Group. The need for solving complex analytical problems while meeting the ever-evolving regulatory demands is growing alongside the development of new modalities, such as oligonucleotides, TACs (Targeting Chimeras), and glues,” said Ross Burn, CEO of CatSci. “Joining forces with Reach gives our customers access to end-to-end coverage of the analytical development lifecycle, taking them from discovery through to GMP manufacture, and ultimately enabling them to help patients in need.’’ CatSci was founded in 2010 as a spinout of AstraZeneca’s Catalyst Screening Facility to offer end-to-end research and development services for pharma companies of all sizes. The company offers fully integrated services in chemical development, material science, preformulation, good manufacturing practice (GMP) analytical and highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredient (HPAPI). googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('text-ad1'); }); The news of the acquisition follows the announcement in November last year of a partnership between CatSci and Reach Separations to offer end-to-end analytical support in screening, method development, and GMP method validation. For CatSci, the acquisition of Reach Separations marks a major milestone in its growth strategy to enhance its capabilities in chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC). Last year, CatSci expanded its facilities in Nottingham  to create a laboratory dedicated to large-scale purification as a response to an increase in the demand for large-scale chiral purification from clients across the UK and Europe. “Becoming part of the CatSci Group will enhance and strengthen Reach Separations’ ability to deliver excellence in chromatography. Integrating our technologies and expertise across the discovery and development landscape will provide a one-stop-shop for analysis and purification, giving the client a variety of options to progress the journey of their asset,” said Peter Ridgway, Business Development Director at Reach Separations.

CatSci Ltd (“CatSci), an award-winning innovation partner for medicines development, announces the acquisition of Reach Separations (“Reach”), a specialist chromatography provider for the analysis and purification of therapeutics. The acquisition was supported by Keensight Capital (“Keensight”), one of the leading private equity managers dedicated to pan-European Growth Buyout investments. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Reach Separations specializes in chromatography for the analysis and purification of therapeutics. With its differentiated analytical offering and its highly skilled workforce, Reach is the go-to partner for delivering purification projects of all sizes. This acquisition will enable CatSci to offer its global customers access to holistic chromatographic services that will aid them from discovery through to manufacture, catering to full asset development or standalone projects. Additionally, the company’s enhanced separation science offering will provide the highest quality analysis for customers. The partnership marks a significant milestone in CatSci’s growth strategy as the company continues to enhance its CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls) capabilities to add strategic value to their partnerships with customers. Dr Ross Burn, CEO at CatSci, commented: “We are excited to welcome Reach Separations into the CatSci Group. The need for solving complex analytical problems while meeting the ever-evolving regulatory demands is growing fast. Joining forces with Reach gives our customers access to end-to-end coverage of the analytical development lifecycle, taking them from discovery through to manufacture, and ultimately enabling them to help patients in need.” Peter Ridgway, Business Development Director & Founder at Reach Separations, added: “Becoming part of the CatSci Group will enhance and strengthen Reach Separations’ ability to provide excellence in chromatography, delivering strong growth for the company and expanding separation science into new markets. Integrating our technologies and expertise across both discovery and development will provide a one-stop-shop for analysis and purification.” James Mitchell, Partner at Keensight Capital, concluded: “We are delighted that Reach Separations has joined the CatSci Group and look forward to continuing to support the company in this next phase of growth. We believe that the addition of Reach’s differentiated offering, analytical capabilities and strong employee base will ensure that the combined company is well positioned for future growth in this space.”

AGC says its customers can use Wales-based CatSci’s expertise in chemical and analytical development, crystallisation and solid form, pre-formulation, plus high potency active pharmaceutics ingredients (API) capabilities, alongside chemistry manufacturing and controls (CMC) for the development of their new therapeutics. The companies believe streamlined tech transfer workflows will ensure a seamless process knowledge and information transfer from development to manufacturing. With more than 40 years of small molecule CDMO and 60 years of API manufacturing experience, AGC offer their customers tailored solutions from early clinical stage to commercial stage. They provide chemical compounds in full compliance with environmental, health and safety, and cGMP international standards. CatSci support pharmaceutical innovators at all stages of drug development and serve customers around the world developing economically and environmentally at all stages of drug development. CatSci say they ‘help customers to navigate complex scientific challenges and address critical healthcare needs, including antimicrobial resistance, cancer, and mental health’. Dr Jerome Théobald, the company's chief operating officer, said: “I am thrilled that CatSci is partnering with AGC Pharma Chemicals, and we are excited about what our partnership means for our customers. I am confident that AGC’s excellent cGMP manufacturing capabilities will add strategic value to our customers’ pipeline, accelerating their path to clinic. googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('text-ad1'); }); “We are driven by our purpose to get new medicines into the hands of patients in need, and it was clear from the start that AGC Pharma Chemicals are aligned with us on this goal. Our partnership is built on our commitment to solve our customers’ challenges, allowing them to advance seamlessly through their pharmaceutical development from drug substance to drug product.” The companies will work together to provide scalable small molecule API manufacturing, from grams to tonnes. Through this partnership, customers will get access to a wide range of manufacturing technologies including fluorination, bromination, hydrogenation, cryogenic, HPAPI, micronisation and continuous flow to support their complex manufacturing programmes. Hiro Kadokura, AGC Pharma chemicals Europe’s chief executive officer, said: “It is great to have CatSci as a partner of AGC Pharma Chemicals, as we can provide seamless service to our customers from pre-clinical to the launch. Together with the strong cGMP CDMO capability of AGC Pharma Chemicals, and the excellent CRO capability of CatSci, we can cover especially early phase projects leveraging the effective expertise of each company. I am excited about this partnership that will bring great value to our customers.”