Patheon and Solvias AG has formed a global alliance to offer integrated development services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. This alliance combines Patheon's experience and expertise in formulation development with Solvias AG's reputation of excellence in pre-formulation and solid state chemistry.

The partnering of Patheon and Solvias AG will provide customers flexible and integrated early development services including API characterization, salt selection and co-crystallization, polymorphism screening, solubility determination, excipient compatibility and formulation. Patheon's innovative Quick to ClinicSM programme will be implemented for rapid phase-I development and to optimize programs for special molecules such as those with low solubility or challenging solid-state properties.

Wes Wheeler, chief executive officer and president, stated, "Patheon's vision is to be the best provider of services. This alliance with Solvias is an example of how Patheon is committed to providing and expanding these turnkey solutions for the most integrated, value added service offering for our customers."

"For Solvias, the alliance with Patheon is an ideal fit with our existing integrated approach to the development of drug substances, as it expands the range of services we can offer our customers to now include formulation of APIs for early clinical phases. We believe that the ability to provide fully integrated chemical development services from early stage drug development through formulation is a clear benefit to our customers as it will result in greater efficiencies, reduced interfaces, and better information flow, therefore their development timelines will be significantly accelerated," said Phillip M Chalabi, vice president of Business Development at Solvias.

Patheon is a leading provider of contract development and manufacturing services to the global pharmaceutical industry.

Solvias AG is a privately held company located in Basel (Switzerland). With 280 highly qualified employees it supports the research and development of new drug substances and the optimization of manufacturing processes for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide.