Discovery Chemistry Outsourcing: Optimising the Process

Posted by

SELECTBIO

In 2002 Novartis decided to establish a new research center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This was accompanied by a significant increase in head count in medicinal chemistry resulting in a strongly increased demand in prep-scale synthesis which in turn let to priority issues and prolonged turnaround time due to the available limited resources in the Preparations Laboratories. In order to put the Prep Labs out of the time critical path an evaluation was started aiming to identify reliable external partners. As a result of this evaluation five companies were finally selected with whom services and supply agreements were established. The presentation will demonstrate how a small global network of preferred external suppliers was established, which criteria were applied to assess the various potential candidates, how the contracts were set-up, which internal processes were implemented and how the Prep Labs are collaborating with their current preferred suppliers. The talk will also include the experiences made by the Prep Labs in terms of cultural differences as well as issues which had to be solved in order to make this activity a success for both partners.