Prestwick Chemical, a chemical services company for life science industry, announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with Pharma Plexus Holland, a provider of pharmaceutical lead optimization and development services. The two companies will work together on a significant lead optimization project recently won from a major pharmaceutical company.

With this new partnership, the two companies can offer enhanced professional multidisciplinary research services to life science companies worldwide. The two companies will be working together to provide lead optimization and library services, large-scale synthesis and expect to offer further drug discovery services in the future.

Pharma Plexus Holland was recently founded by former scientists from Abbott Healthcare Products in the Netherlands. Pharma Plexus Holland brings the highly reputed excellence of former Solvay Pharmaceuticals employees in pharmaceutical lead optimization to both big pharma and biotech partners. Solvay Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Abbott in 2010.

The new project, details of which have not been disclosed, will involve scientists from Prestwick Chemical, Pharma Plexus Holland, and the customer working closely together to ensure the highest possible quality results.

One of the reasons for forming this international strategic alliance, involving a French and a Dutch company, is the increasing demand for these type of services requiring the powerful combination of skills available in the two companies. They expect to continue to work closely together to obtain more lead optimization projects which will strengthen their organizations in both France and the Netherlands.

“Prestwick Chemical was looking at solutions to expand its capacity and ability to handle larger projects in the face of growing demand,” said Professor Thierry Langer, CEO of Prestwick Chemical. “The collaboration with Pharma Plexus Holland in Weesp near Amsterdam is a great opportunity to do just this. It also allows us to address the additional needs of our clients and prospects. In Weesp, we have found scientists and entrepreneurs whose culture for excellence is perfectly aligned with that of our own scientists and we are looking forward to a long and successful collaboration.”

“The excellent track record of our Prestwick Chemical colleagues and the experienced employees we have at Pharma Plexus Holland was key to winning this contract,” said Professor Chris Kruse, co-founder of Pharma Plexus Holland and former global head of medicinal chemistry at Solvay Pharmaceuticals. “We are delighted that Pharma Plexus Holland can jump-start its activities with this substantial project. Together with Prestwick, we are committed to building up our team thus increasing employment in the Amsterdam region in an innovative industry that attracts significant attention from local authorities.”