Pharmaceutical & Veterinary
Robinson Brothers Ltd has been supplying intermediates to the Pharmaceutical Industry since the 1960's. The first notable intermediate was cysteamine for the revolutionary anti-ulcer drugs Tagamet and Zantac. Since then RBL intermediates have been used in a broad range of applications, including anti-depressants, heart drugs, COPD treatment and diabetes.
Currently, we supply around 400 tonnes per annum of proprietary intermediates into the pharmaceutical and veterinary market. These include our amines (N-methyl benzylamine, N-benzylethanolamine and piperidine), 1,3-cyclohexanedione and its derivatives, thiazolidine-2,4-dione, methyl thioglycollate and potassium thioacetic acid. In addition, a further dozen bespoke products, covering some 200tonnes per annum of material, are produced under contract for specific pharmaceutical customers.
cGMP Manufacturing Philosophy
RBL's focus is on the production of intermediates rather than the final Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API). RBL offers advanced intermediates under cGMP operational philosophy where required. Our change control procedures and manufacturing procedures are all cGMP compliant, as verified by regular internal and external audits by our major global customers. This means that RBL can offer intermediates and toll processing to high standards of quality and confidence without the cost associated with GMP facilities.
For the veterinary market. RBL produces two API's (not final dose form) for the companion animal and cattle markets. Both products involve multi-stage synthesis. One of the products is sold into the US market, which means that RBL facilities have been inspected and approved by the FDA.
What can RBL offer the Market?
RBL's corporate independence and relatively small size means that the decision making process is fast. This means that we can respond rapidly to new enquiries. We have numerous examples where Pilot Campaigns for new products have been completed within weeks of receiving the initial request and products have been scaled up to commercial manufacture (10's tonnes) within a matter of months.
RBL actively supports the preclinical, clinical and development needs of the pharmaceutical industry. Our scope is to provide costs for route feasibility studies and manufacture of new entities in our Kilo Lab and Pilot Plant facilities. Process development continues throughout the life cycle of the product; multi-disciplinary teams (Process Improvement Groups) monitor all commercial scale processes with the objective of reducing cost, reducing environmental impact and improving quality.
RBL's independence also means that we can offer a discreet service to our customers, protecting intellectual property rights and preserving customer confidentiality.
RBL can offer a broad range of technologies, both as unit processes and as part of multi-stage synthesis. Amines can be offered through reductive amination or reduction of nitro and nitrile derivatives; sulphur chlorides and sulphonamides can be offered via chlorosulphonation; assymetric intermediates through chiral hydrogenation; mercaptans, thio-ethers and thio-esters through our expertise in thiolation and thiocarbonylation and heterocylics through Diels Alder and cyclisations. In addition, RBL can handle hazardous reagents such as bromine, phosgene, hydrazine and dimethyl sulphate.
Through consortium and collaboration with universities, R&D companies and industrial partners, RBL is always looking to provide innovative solutions and cutting edge technology to our customers. |
