General Archives - Almac

Almac Group delivers record year of growth

brendanhagan — Tue, 19 May 2026 07:58:24 +0000

Revenue rises to £1.1 billion, profit increases by 16%, and global workforce grows to more than 7,900 as long-term investment continues to drive expansion.

Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has announced record financial results for the year ending 30 September 2025, with revenue, profit and employee numbers all reaching their highest levels to date.

Annual accounts released today show revenue increased to £1.1 billion, up £71.9 million (7%) on 2024. Pre-tax profit rose by 16% to £138.9 million, compared with £119.3 million in the previous year, while employee numbers have grown by 6% over the same period.

Almac reinvests all profits back into the company to support long-term growth. These latest results mark the fifth year of Almac Group’s £500 million+ global capital investment programme, first announced in November 2021. Since then, employee numbers have increased by more than 2,000, with over half of these new roles created in Northern Ireland.

The programme includes major investment across diagnostic and pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, clinical production and distribution, commercial manufacturing and packaging, global cold-chain infrastructure, and analytical services. It also supports significant campus improvements designed to enhance the working environment for employees.

Almac now employs more than 7,900 people worldwide and plays a vital role in helping develop, manufacture, test and distribute essential medicines for patients around the globe. During the financial year, the Group supported the development and ongoing commercial supply of hundreds of life-saving drugs across more than 20 therapeutic areas, including oncology, cardiology, immunology, gene therapy and neurology.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group Chairman and CEO, said:

“These results reflect another successful year for Almac and demonstrate the resilience of our long-term growth strategy in a changing global environment.”

As a privately owned company, we are proud to reinvest our profits to support our global clients, drive innovation and expand our capabilities. None of this would be possible without the exceptional commitment of our people across the globe.”

*The employee percentage number rise in the financial accounts relates to the average employment figure for FY 2024/2025 vs 2023/2024. Employee numbers currently exceed 7,900 as of May 2026.

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Winter Storm impacting North America: Almac Group Update

evewallace — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:24:04 +0000

Due to the impact of Winter Storm Fern, and in the interests of employee safety, Almac Group has closed its North Carolina operations on 26th January. It is planned that business will resume as normal on Tuesday 27th January. Due to the adverse weather, Almac has also closed its Distribution & Production Operations in Audubon and Souderton, Pennsylvania until 3pm EST on Monday.

Almac is committed to continuity of supply for our clients, their patients and to excellence in our customer service. We will endeavor to mitigate any significant impact due to this short closure.

Impact on clinical shipments – North Carolina

There has been significant disruption to distribution routes in North Carolina and to our North Carolina facility. As a result, Almac has suspended all shipments on Monday 26th January.

We are working closely with our courier partners to limit any delays. Shipments originally planned for Monday will be collected and dispatched throughout Tuesday, 27 January. Please note that shipments scheduled for dispatch on Tuesday may experience delays of up to 24 hours.

If you have urgent concerns or critical shipments requiring prioritization, please contact our monitored helpdesk at logisticsservices@almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group releases 2025 Sustainability Report

evewallace — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:26:38 +0000

Almac Group today releases our 2025 Sustainability Report, which outlines the progress on our ongoing global commitments in the key areas of people, planet and the communities where we operate.

This year we made substantial progress on our environmental based goals. We received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in June of this year for both our near and long-term emissions reduction targets— a recognition of our commitment to climate action in alignment with the latest climate science. We also report notable progress in the transition to renewable energy, with 54% of global operations now powered by renewable sources.

Reflecting our commitment to programmes that foster inclusive, healthy workplaces for our people, we were delighted to be a recipient of a ‘best practice’ commendation this year for employee health and wellbeing during ISO 45001 (health and safety) and ISO 14001 (environmental management) surveillance audits.

In the communities where we operate, we are proud that we supported 74 different charities through global philanthropy and reached more than 20,000 post-primary pupils through in-person and virtual outreach programmes.

Alan Armstrong, Chairman and CEO, Almac Group said: “Almac’s mission to advance human health continues to guide every aspect of our work and extends beyond the work we do for our customers to ensure a healthy and more sustainable future for the world around us.”

“The achievements outlined in this report reflect the passion and perseverance of our people – individuals I am honoured to work alongside. By living out our mission each day, they are collectively impacting human health across the globe”

Read the full report here

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Almac Group Launches “Farm to Fork Project” in Souderton Area Schools

chloefinch — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 13:05:10 +0000

Almac Group is proud to announce that the company has launched the “Farm to Fork Project,” a multi-phase experiential education and community building initiative to benefit the Souderton Area School District (SASD).

“Farm to Fork” is designed to demonstrate community health and stewardship through hands-on, agricultural and science-based classroom learning that centres on how local food is grown. Adoption into SASD curriculum was initiated by Almac Group and championed in collaboration with the Indian Valley Education Foundation (IVEF) and Garden of Health Food Bank, who will serve as advisors to the programme.

The programme launches this year at all six district elementary schools and will eventually unfold in three yearlong stages — Discover, Learn, and Thrive. During this three-year period, $30,000 in programme-enabling extracurriculars will be financially supported by Almac Group.

This inaugural year, “Discover,” just commenced with an immersive education session at Garden of Health’s Hatfield Farm for all fifth graders, including experiences ranging from harvesting, drying and identifying herbs, transplanting seedlings, and beekeeping.

In the future, Almac’s support will expand to in-classroom and outdoor classroom-based growing needs, including “ready to grow kits” for each participating classroom to facilitate and complement the formal curriculum roll out in Fall 2026.

“Farm to Fork was born from our vision to create a meaningful, place-based learning experience here in Souderton that tangibly shows students how food, agricultural science, health and community are interconnected,” said Mark Rohlfing, Vice President of Operations, Almac Group.

The programme is the latest addition to Almac’s long repertoire of pioneering educational, STEM-based enrichment experiences for students in the communities where they operate. In the past three years, the company has reached over 5,000 students through sponsored enrichment experiences in Northern Ireland, the home of the company’s Global Headquarters.

“We’re proud to build on our global commitment to STEM education through Farm to Fork and look forward to its positive impact over the next three years,” Mark Rohlfing continued.

“Farm to Fork strengthens our science curriculum by connecting hands-on learning to real-world purpose,” said Katie Kennedy-Reilly, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Technology K-12. “Through this programme, students explore the relationship between food, health, and community in ways that nurture curiosity, compassion, and a sense of belonging. It reflects our commitment to whole-child learning and to helping students see themselves as innovators and stewards of the future.”

“By planting the seeds of curiosity early, we are nurturing the next generation of community leaders,” said RuthE Potter, Executive Director of the Indian Valley Education Foundation. “This programme is a shining example of what’s possible for our children when industry, nonprofits, and schools work together.”

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Almac Group launches collaboration with Young Enterprise

brendanhagan — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group said: “At Almac, we’re committed to investing in the next generation of talent who may one day contribute to our mission to advance human health. Over the last year alone we have reached over 17,000 students through our various programmes including direct engagement with schools, colleges and strategic partnerships.

Almac Group has today announced its collaboration with Young Enterprise NI as an ESG Business Backer, as part of the Group’s talent outreach programme.

As one of Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous companies, Almac currently employs over 7,700 people globally, over 4,000 of whom are based in Northern Ireland.

Almac has developed a team of 11 mentors spanning a range of disciplines including finance, legal, IT, HR, engineering and marketing, who will work with students from three schools throughout the course of the academic year.

“We are looking forward to this new collaboration with Young Enterprise which gives us another opportunity to inspire young people and have a positive impact on the communities where we operate.”

Carol Fitzsimons MBE, CEO of Young Enterprise Northern Ireland, welcomed Almac Group’s support: “We are delighted that Almac has joined us as an ESG Business Backer. Almac represents the best of entrepreneurial culture and skills in Northern Ireland, and local students will benefit from learning from their global expertise.”

This partnership marks another milestone in Young Enterprise’s growing network of business backers who are committed to fostering an entrepreneurial culture and supporting the development of future talent in Northern Ireland.

Almac’s ongoing outreach programme includes direct engagement with schools, strategic partners including the Almac MED-LAB at W5, scholarship programmes and work experience opportunities.

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Almac Group Expands US Analytical Capacity with New Stability Chambers in Souderton, PA

brendanhagan — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Almac Group has announced the official opening of new GMP-qualified analytical stability chambers and office space at its US Headquarter campus in Souderton, Pennsylvania. This $2 million investment builds on the multi-million-dollar expansion of global analytical services and reinforces Almac’s commitment to meeting growing client demand.

The new facility includes 1,600 ft² of dedicated stability chamber space and an additional 1,600 ft² of modern office accommodation / laboratory space. The chambers are fully GMP-qualified and equipped with alarmed and redundant systems and utilities, supporting all standard ICH and custom stability conditions including: -20°C, 5°C, 25°C/60%RH, 30°C/65%RH, 30°C/75%RH, and 40°C/75%RH.

This expansion significantly increases Almac’s capacity and capability to support clients’ global stability programmes and enhances operational flexibility across its US and European sites. As the business continues to grow, headcount at the Souderton site is expected to increase to support the expanded service offering.

Dr Stephen Barr, Managing Director & President, Almac Sciences said: “Client demand for stability services is growing, and this investment is a direct response to that need.

“By expanding our footprint in Souderton, we are future proofing our operations and ensuring that we can continue to deliver the high-quality, compliant services our clients expect.”

“This new space is a testament to our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation,” added Joseph Forth, Director of Analytical Operations, Almac Sciences, Souderton. “Our expert analytical teams bring a wealth of experience, skill, and knowledge to every project, and this investment ensures we are well-positioned to support our clients’ evolving needs.”

This latest development complements Almac’s strong track record in delivering expert analytical services globally. With over 700 highly skilled analysts operating across five GMP-approved sites in the UK, Ireland, and the US, Almac offers a comprehensive suite of analytical testing services from early development through to commercial release.

For more information, visit www.almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group North Carolina – 25th Anniversary Celebrations

brendanhagan — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 15:14:36 +0000

Almac Group in Durham, North Carolina is celebrating its 25^th anniversary!

Almac first established a presence in the US in 1996 with the opening of its clinical trial operations in Audubon, Pennsylvania.

In 2000, Almac acquired the Duke Clinical Research Institute Pharmacy (DCRIP), which established our presence in North Carolina. Over the last 25 years the site has grown from 30 employees to more than 450 employees and is home to Almac Clinical Services, Almac Diagnostic Services, Almac Clinical Technologies and Almac Group support. The campus has also expanded from 1 facility to 4, housing offices, warehousing, production and drug returns.

Expanding into North Carolina significantly advanced the development of Clinical Services’ Supply Chain Management services across all global locations.

WebEZ was created and launched from North Carolina in 2006. WebEZ, the world’s first configurable randomisation system, has enabled hundreds of clinical trials to transition from manual methods to robust automated solutions for randomisation and drug ordering.

Our Durham facility continues to lead in innovation, most recently with the introduction of cutting-edge UltraLow and Cryogenic solutions designed to meet the needs of the expanding Biotech sector. The site recently implemented a –70C purpose built large-scale storage unit for critical medicines and temperature-sensitive product. This is one of the first units of its kind in the US.

In 2015 Almac Diagnostic Services established a US laboratory at the Almac Durham site to provide biomarker testing solutions for global clinical trials. Now CAP, ISO15189 and ISO13485 certified, the facility has delivered testing using Almac-developed novel biomarker assays across a range of technologies for both US based and global clinical trials, directly impacting treatment for thousands of patients to date.

Almac Clinical Technologies has focused on the design, project management and oversight of IRT systems for pharmaceutical and CRO clients.

Donna Christopher, Global VP Operations, Almac Clinical Services said: “We are proud to mark our 25^th year in North Carolina and to celebrate the impact that our facility has on Almac’s global success in supporting our clients and contributing to the advancement of human health. As well as our contribution to the local community as a premier employer in Durham.”

For more information, visit www.almacgroup.com.

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Almac completes a multi-million-pound Investment Enhancing Cold Chain Capabilities in Craigavon

brendanhagan — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 10:58:47 +0000

Almac Clinical Services, part of the Almac Group, has completed a multi-million-pound investment to enhance cold chain capabilities at its global headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

This strategic investment includes the completion of a purpose-built Ultra-Low Temperature facility which has tripled Almac Clinical Services’ -15°C to -25°C secondary packaging capabilities and doubled ultra-low temperature storage capacity (-60°C to -80°C) in Craigavon.

This investment is part of Almac’s global ongoing programme to expand Ultra-Low capabilities, including North Carolina and Singapore facilities which have already been completed.

Almac has also expanded its cold chain packaging capabilities and increased capacity by more than 60% in the Craigavon facility. The recent developments include an upgraded cold chain management centre with additional 2°C to 8°C secondary production rooms; new label printing and checking suites and new packaging design facilities.

This investment significantly expands the company’s global clinical supply to support biopharmaceutical products and will meet growing demand for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), including cell and gene therapies, which require ultra-precise cold chain logistics to maintain product viability and compliance.

Dr Robert Dunlop, President and Managing Director of Almac Clinical Services said: “Almac is committed to supporting trial sponsors around the world to champion innovation and advance human health.

As the number of biological products in clinical development continues to grow, it is important that Almac can offer both the capability and capacity that clients will require in the future. The expansion of our existing Cold Chain management centre in Craigavon offers a prime solution to many of the manufacturing and supply chain challenges that impact the success of clinical trials.

“Combined, we’re proud to provide strict GMP environments, robust cold chain logistics and quality control through our state-of-the-art, ultra-low, temperature-controlled storage and production capability. This enables sponsors to deliver compliant and cost-effective packaging and labelling of biological IMPs and keep patient supply at the heart of our operations.

“These investments are a testament to our strategic vision to stay ahead of industry needs. By expanding our infrastructure and capabilities, we are ensuring that Almac remains a trusted partner in the evolving landscape of clinical trials.”

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Almac Group announces validated near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)

thomasdrake — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

The Almac Group has received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its emissions reduction targets. This milestone is another recognition of Almac’s commitment to sustainability and climate action in alignment with the latest climate science.

As part of its long-standing dedication to environmental stewardship, Almac has set robust targets aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its operations. These targets, now validated by the SBTi, are designed to support the global effort to limit temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Key targets include the following:

Almac Group Limited commits to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by FY2045
Near-term targets: Almac Group Limited commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 50% by FY2030 from a FY2019 base year. Almac Group Limited also commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions 27.5% within the same timeframe
Long-term targets: Almac Group Limited commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 95% by FY2045 from a FY2019 base year. Almac Group Limited also commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions 90% within the same timeframe

Emissions reductions will be achieved through a comprehensive net zero strategy which includes a transition to renewable energy via a virtual Power Purchase Agreement (vPPA) with a local wind farm provider providing power for our Craigavon headquarters, energy efficiency programmes under ISO50001(a key standard in energy management and conservation) and sustainable procurement practices. Almac is also committed to transparent reporting via sustainability organisations and platforms. The validation of our reduction targets by the SBTi represents a key milestone in Almac’s net zero journey.

Niall Harkin, Executive Director, Almac Group said: “We are immensely proud to have our targets validated by SBTi. This validation reflects our rigorous approach to climate action and reinforces our commitment to making a measurable and positive impact on our planet. We are dedicated to driving sustainability throughout our operations and across the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.“

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Almac Group surpasses £1 billion revenue with latest Annual Accounts reporting record revenues, profit and employee numbers

chloefinch — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:30:00 +0000

Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has today announced its highest ever revenue, profit and employee numbers.

Figures released for Almac’s financial year ending 30 September 2024 reported £1.027 billion of revenues, a £69.5 million (7%) increase from 2023. Pre-tax profits rose by 27% to £119 million, up from £93.8 million in the previous year, and average employee numbers grew by 3% over the same period.

Almac reinvests all profit back into the business and these financial results mark the fourth year of Almac Group’s £400 million+ global capital investment programme, announced in November 2021. This programme has included the development of a Centre of Excellence for Diagnostic development and commercial manufacturing, a state of the art 100,000 sq ft pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, and an expansion of cryogenic and ultra-low temperature service capabilities for clinical supply across Durham, North Carolina and Singapore. A major expansion continues to clinical production and distribution capabilities in Souderton, Pennsylvania.

Almac, which currently employs more than 7,700 people worldwide, is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to patients around the world. During this financial year the group was involved in the development of hundreds of life-saving drugs spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiology, immunology, gene therapy and neurology.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group Chairman and CEO said: “Today’s results mark another successful year of growth for Almac. As a privately-owned and independent company, we re-invest all our profits back into the business, enabling us to innovate and expand to meet the growing needs of our global clients, working in partnership to advance human health.

“I am proud of the continued progress we are making, which is thanks to the dedication of our valued global workforce.”

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Almac Discovery and Formosa Pharmaceuticals announce global licensing agreement for development and commercialisation of ALM-401, a first-in-class EGFRxROR1 Bispecific Antibody-Drug Conjugate

evewallace — Tue, 06 May 2025 13:06:43 +0000

TAIPEI, Taiwan and BELFAST, Northern Ireland – 6 May 2025 – Formosa Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Formosa”; 6838.TW ticker-symbol on the Taiwan Stock Exchange) and Almac Discovery announce a global licensing agreement for development and commercialisation of ALM-401, a first-in-class engineered bispecific Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC), addressing the high unmet needs of cancer patients worldwide suffering with intractable and aggressive solid tumours.

The agreement facilitates the next phases of CMC and drug development by Formosa, including IND submission and early clinical proof-of-concept in international clinical trials.

ALM-401 has been the culmination of a multi-year R&D programme at Almac Discovery deploying their proprietary OmniaScape™ informatics platform, protein engineering and medicinal chemistry capabilities.

The design of ALM-401 has built upon the recent clinical successes within the ADC field, including selection of a linker-payload matched to potential clinical cancer indications, and the molecule also benefits from being approximately half the size of conventional ADCs, thereby facilitating enhanced solid tumour penetration. The main features of ALM-401 include:

Innovative bi-specific target-pairing based on co-expression and functional analysis of specific, aggressive solid tumours
Sustained high-efficacy in vivo in PDX models; as presented at the 2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR; Chicago) annual meeting
Half-the-size of conventional ADCs for enhanced solid tumour penetration and optimised manufacturing.

Formosa Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (6838.TW) is a clinical stage biotechnology company with primary focus in the areas of ophthalmology and oncology, with particular CMC and manufacturing expertise for specialist ADC therapeutics. “Formosa Pharma is pleased to have this opportunity to bring ALM-401 into our development pipeline. This novel, next-generation ADC complements our corporate strategy and resources and promises to deliver a differentiated therapy to cancer patients worldwide. We look forward to collaborating closely with Almac Discovery in advancing this exciting program through clinical trials, commercialization, and beyond.” said Dr. Erick Co, President and CEO of Formosa Pharmaceuticals.

“We are pleased to have met Formosa’s exacting selection requirements for Next Generation ADC candidates,” said Dr Stephen Barr, President and Managing Director of Almac Discovery. “This agreement allows the seamless progression of the molecule into clinical evaluation, driven by Formosa.”

“In addition to an excellent preclinical efficacy profile, high-quality, robust and scalable CMC and manufacturing is a key competitive advantage for ADCs in the fast-moving race for effective cancer therapeutics” commented Dr Graham Cotton, Vice-President of Protein Therapeutics, Almac Discovery.

ENDS

About Formosa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Formosa Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (6838.TW) is a clinical stage biotechnology company with primary focus in the areas of ophthalmology and oncology. The company’s flagship program, APP13007, is a novel topical formulation of the potent corticosteroid, clobetasol propionate, and was approved by the US FDA in 2024 for the treatment of post-operative inflammation and pain following ocular surgery, with multiple regional licensing partners worldwide. The company’s proprietary nanoparticle formulation technology (APNT^®), through which APP13007 was developed, improves the dissolution and bioavailability of APIs for topical, oral, and inhaler administration. For more details please visit www.formosapharma.com

Contact:

Mr Wayne Wei, MPH, CLP, RAC

Chief Strategy & Business Officer

E: waynewei@formosapharma.com

About Almac Discovery Limited

Almac Discovery has drug discovery facilities in Belfast, Edinburgh and Manchester. It is led by an experienced team with a track record in delivering successful pre-clinical programmes. Internal capabilities include discovery biology and bioinformatics, protein engineering, medicinal chemistry and translational sciences. Almac Discovery utilises its unique blend of protein engineering and small molecule capabilities to create and develop First in Class and Best in Class NCEs through to the pre-clinical candidate/IND-ready stages, after which it seeks to collaborate with partners to accelerate their development.

The Discovery business benefits from collaboration and licensing partnerships with global R&D-focused biotech and pharmaceutical organisations.

Contact:

Dr Enda Gribbon

Business Development and Licensing

E: enda.gribbon@almacgroup.com

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Almac Pharma Services expands with exciting career opportunities

thomasdrake — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 15:52:49 +0000

Almac Pharma Services is hosting an information day at the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown on Tuesday 1^st April from 12pm to 7pm.

Almac is actively recruiting for a range of roles based at the headquarters in Craigavon, which are available to suit people no matter what their qualifications or experience. All of the jobs offer a competitive salary and huge potential to progress in a rewarding and varied career.

There are opportunities available within manufacturing and packaging operations, including Grade II and III Senior Operators with various shift patterns including early/late rotating shift and permanent night shifts. Salaries range from £33,998 for a Grade II position (early/late rotating shift) up to £44,638 for a Grade III position (continental night shift).

The company is also hiring Graduate Production Technicians suitable for individuals with a third level education (e.g. HNC, HND (or higher) in a Life Science or Engineering subject), and no previous experience. This offers a clear career pathway where successful hires can expect to progress to a Production Technician within two to three years, dependent on performance.

There are numerous opportunities available for Production Technicians aimed at individuals with significant relevant experience working within the pharmaceutical industry or in an engineering environment.

Representatives from operations and engineering will provide company overviews with more information on the type of roles available, career pathways across the Almac Group and an insight into the company culture. HR representatives will also be present to provide advice on completing application forms and discuss the benefits that exist within Almac.

Tom Hegarty, Director, Operations – Manufacturing, Almac Pharma Services said: “We are excited to open our doors to passionate and talented individuals who are keen to make a difference in the pharmaceutical industry.

“Our open day is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the diverse and rewarding career paths at Almac Pharma Services. Join us to meet our dedicated team, explore our innovative roles, and discover how you can grow with us. We look forward to welcoming you and helping you take the next step in your career journey.”

To find out more about the roles or register for our recruitment event visit – https://www.almacgroup.com/careers/recruitment-open-day-craigavon/

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Almac invests £500,000 in state-of-the-art instrumentation within spectroscopy laboratories

brendanhagan — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 11:02:40 +0000

Almac Sciences, a member of the Almac Group, has invested £500,000 in state-of-the-art instrumentation within its spectroscopy laboratories at its global headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

Almac is committed to providing the best analytical facilities for its customers and the recent purchase of the new Agilent 6545XT AdvanceBio Q-TOF Mass Spectrometer and a Malvern Panalytical Empyrean X-Ray Powder Diffractometer supports this goal.

This latest investment is additional to the company’s announcement in October 2024 of an £11million spend to expand Almac’s global analytical services capabilities, which includes the creation of 100 jobs.

The Craigavon laboratories house state-of-the-art Mass Spectrometers, X-Ray Powder Diffractometers as well as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometers. These investments substantially increase the company’s capabilities in solving complex analytical challenges and provide additional security for urgent analyses, additional processing capabilities, and superior data integrity controls to ensure increasing regulatory compliance needs are met.

Within the dedicated facility, equipped with advanced LC-MS, GC-MS, ICP-MS, XRPD and NMR instrumentation, clients can benefit from a range of spectrometry services, including the quantitation of genotoxic impurities, trace elemental analysis, isotopic purity determinations, structure elucidation, analysis of peptides, proteins, glycoproteins and antibody products as well as polymorph screening, confirmation and quantitation of crystalline phases.

Dr John Malone, Associate Director of Spectroscopy, Almac Sciences said: “The continued investment and growth in our spectroscopy laboratories underlines Almac’s commitment to providing the best analytical facilities for its customers, and seamlessly meeting their needs.  We are delighted to offer our clients cutting-edge technology that supports their product safety imperative and accelerates the drug development cycle.”

Dr Darren Thomas, Vice President of Analytical Operations commented: “As we continue to enhance our analytical capabilities, our commitment to excellence remains unwavering. This substantial investment in cutting-edge technology emphasises our dedication to offering comprehensive analytical solutions to clients around the world.”

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Almac Group releases 2024 Sustainability Report

thomasdrake — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 09:00:00 +0000

The Almac Group has today announced the release of its 2024 Sustainability Report which outlines Almac’s ongoing commitment to their people, the planet and the communities where the Group operates, through sustainable practices, community engagement and ethical business operations.

One of Almac’s core objectives is to support, develop, and reward its global workforce of over 7,500 people. The group recently announced that each employee will receive an additional day of leave. This ‘Diversity Day’ can be used to celebrate diversity, to volunteer or take part in community work.

During the last year, Almac Group has supported 60 different charities through global philanthropy and reaching more than 17,000 post-primary pupils through in-person and virtual outreach programmes.

The transition to renewable energy has been a key part of Almac’s journey to net zero over the last year, having announced a virtual power purchase agreement (vPPA) with a wind farm to provide electricity for its Craigavon headquarters. 95% of the electricity consumed at Almac’s Craigavon campus comes from renewable sources, representing a 46% reduction in global scope 2 emissions.

In August 2024 Almac successfully completed the ISO 14064 -1 verification. This emphasises Almac’s dedication to environmental sustainability and transparency through accurate and reliable reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The report also highlights that Almac is now zero waste to landfill in the facilities where 80% of employees are based.

Alan Armstrong, Chairman and CEO, Almac Group said: “As we support our partners in delivering life-saving medicines across the globe we are conscious of our impact on the people and world around us”

“The achievements in this report reflect Almac’s commitment to advancing human health through the work we do for our clients but also the part we play in ensuring a more sustainable future. The progress made towards our goals this year is thanks to the dedication of our people who I am truly honoured to work with each and every day.”

Read the full report here – Almac Sustainability Report 2024

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Almac announces key partnership with Future Medicines Institute

thomasdrake — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:45:41 +0000

The Almac Group has been announced as one of the key industrial partners involved in the launch of the Future Medicines Institute (FMI).

This £55 million industry-led collaborative initiative, backed by a consortium of leading companies in Precision Medicine is also supported by leading academics from Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University.

Almac’s significant involvement in the new Institute, for Almac Discovery and Almac Diagnostic Services in particular, is a further demonstration of our commitment to the Life and Health Sciences Sector locally.

The FMI will also focus on skills development, leveraging the local universities and colleges to address talent gaps in the sector, foster spinouts, and drive job creation to support the broader Northern Ireland economy. This will further help to build on Almac’s existing track record of investing in the area of skills, whether through STEM engagement, apprenticeships, placements and work experience.

Alan Armstrong, Chair and CEO of Almac Group said: “Congratulations to colleagues in Almac Discovery, Almac Diagnostic Services and Group for the central role they have played in today’s announcement of the £55m Future Medicines Institute. We look forward to working with our other industrial partners and the two universities to deliver on the potential for the life and health sciences sector that the Strength in Places project and the FMI represent for NI.”

The industry-led consortium has been offered £35m from the Northern Ireland Executive towards FMI, with the consortium members contributing an additional £20m. This will fund a wide range of collaborative R&D activities between the companies and universities. It will also create a shared lab within Queen’s University Belfast, where industry and academics can come together to collaborate and access leading edge technologies.

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Almac chemist recognised as “Future Leader” at CPHI Celebration Awards 2024

thomasdrake — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 07:11:24 +0000

Dr Megan Smyth wins award for rising stars bringing fresh approaches in the pharma industry

Almac Sciences, a member of the Almac Group, is delighted to announce Dr Megan Smyth, Senior Team Leader, Custom & Flow Chemistry, has been recognised with the Future Leader award at the 2024 CPHI Celebration Awards.

The inaugural award, announced at The CPHI Celebration ceremony in Milan last night, recognises pharma leaders of the future who are bringing a fresh approach to the industry via evidence-based examples of leadership & collaboration, external recognition, personal brand and industry involvement. For more than 20 years, the CPHI Pharma Awards have celebrated innovators making a difference – individuals, teams and companies who are breaking new ground and driving the industry forward.

Megan’s success was demonstrated through her role as Senior Team Leader within Almac Sciences’ Custom & Flow Chemistry team, where she has shown strategic leadership in the further development of Almac’s flow chemistry capabilities, including the establishment of a commercially viable manufacturing platform. Over the past five years, Megan has been an integral part of Almac’s flow team, generating revenue to meet ambitious growth targets, thus adding significant value to Almac’s business. The judges noted that Megan stood out as an emerging talent who had demonstrated the introduction of new ideas, inspired her colleagues and contributed to the broader industry through collaborations, conferences and scientific journals.

In 2022, Megan also won a highly competitive UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF). The R&D grant, worth £1.5 million, funded over a 4-year period, has been enabling further enhancement of innovative continuous manufacturing.

Megan commented: “I am thrilled to receive this inaugural Future Leader award from CPHI. To be globally recognised for my contributions to the pharmaceutical industry as a Future Leader is a huge honour. The implementation of flow chemistry continues to be hugely impactful within the pharmaceutical industry and I am excited to see what the future brings for me, my team and Almac Sciences.”

Prof Tom Moody VP Technology Development & Commercialisation added “Congratulations to Megan for winning this award. Megan is the most worthy recipient and has been instrumental to the growth of our flow chemistry expertise. A Future Leader award is a well deserved merit for all of her achievements to date and I wish her continued success at Almac.”

Visit Almac at CPHI Milan from 8 – 10 October at stand 7C2.

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Almac Group announces £11m investment to expand global analytical services

evewallace — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), has today announced an £11m investment and the creation of over 100 new jobs to expand global analytical services capabilities.

Over the past 18 months, Almac Sciences, which provides development to commercial scale of advanced intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), and Almac Pharma Services, which specialises in pharmaceutical drug product development, manufacture and commercial services, have jointly made this significant investment to expand their existing analytical laboratories, technology and resource to meet ongoing global demand.

Almac employs over 700 highly skilled analysts working in regulatory approved GMP laboratories across five locations in Craigavon, UK; Charnwood, UK; Souderton, Pennsylvania; Athlone, Ireland and Dundalk, Ireland. Construction of new laboratory space at the company’s global HQ site in Craigavon considerably increases overall capacity, whilst additional upgrades and development of existing labs across all sites means Almac will seek to increase its existing global analytical employee headcount by over 100 in the next 12 months.

With more than 55 years’ experience, Almac supports drug substance and drug product analytics across all phases, from early phase pre-clinical / clinical development to commercial release. The company typically develops over 1,000 analytical methods and validates over 250 analytical methods each year. Their expert teams offer a comprehensive end-to-end suite of analytical testing for a range of product types including small molecules, peptide, biologics, conjugates, potent and controlled substances.

Almac has added a significant number of specialised instrumentation and techniques across several service lines including chromatography, spectroscopy and biologics. The recent introduction of the Raman TRS100 system also offers clients a faster array of tablets, capsules and other dosage forms. Additional investment in physical sciences equipment (XRPD, PSD, TGA and DSC) provides enhanced capability to support the company’s new spray drying offering from its Charnwood site.

A multi-million-pound digitisation upgrade across all sites, including further investment in Almac’s existing laboratory information management system (LIMS), highlights the company’s ability to seamlessly share information across multiple teams, departments and facilities offering clients a reliable, optimised and streamlined solution.

As part of its ongoing outreach programme, Almac has invested heavily in continuous training and development of its analytical experts. The teams also work closely with local academia to promote and develop a pipeline of talent by providing apprenticeship placements throughout the year.

Darren Thomas, Vice President Analytical Operations, Almac Sciences, commented: “We have experienced a significant increase in demand for our dedicated analytical solutions and recognise the importance of continually investing, not just in our systems and facilities, but also in our people. We are committed to offering a best-in-class service to our global client base and are delighted to continue at pace with significant investment across our UK, EU and US facilities in order to strengthen our competitive position in the marketplace.”

Trevor Clarke, Vice President Analytical Operations, Almac Pharma Services added: “We are positioned as the partner of choice with significant experience in a wide range of analytical services to meet the varying requirements of our clients’ unique development and commercial programs. As we continue to expand our global analytical capabilities, we remain committed to delivering excellence. This significant investment in innovative technology, skilled talent, and state-of-the-art laboratories underscores our dedication to providing comprehensive analytical solutions for our clients worldwide.”

Today’s announcement is part of Almac Group’s £400 million investment to ensure Almac remains global leaders in the industry, giving clients, and ultimately patients across the world who benefit from these therapies, the best possible range of solutions.

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Almac Pharma Services Appoints New VP Finance

brendanhagan — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Almac Pharma Services, a member of the privately owned Almac Group providing innovative pharmaceutical development, manufacture and commercial services to global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, has announced the appointment of Samantha Fitzpatrick as its Vice President of Finance.

As part of Almac Pharma Services’ executive leadership team, Samantha will oversee financial planning, analysis and accounting. In addition, she will collaborate with global department heads to progress a business partnership approach aimed at transforming financial reporting and systems to enhance availability and clarity of financial information. This will facilitate improved decision-making across all aspects of the organisation and support the next phase of growth for the organisation.

Samantha holds a BA (Hons) in Accounting and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS). She has over 15 years of experience in financial leadership roles within Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) organisations, including Irwin’s Bakery and Moy Park. She has a proven track record in supporting strategic business growth and joins Almac from Finnebrogue Artisan where she served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Financial Controller.

“We are delighted to welcome Samantha to the Almac Pharma Services executive team,” commented John McQuaid, President and Managing Director, Pharma Services. “Samantha’s extensive experience, skill set and leadership will be instrumental in guiding Pharma Services through our next phase of growth. We look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to our business.”

The appointment comes just months after Almac Pharma Services announced the completion of a custom-built, high-volume facility significantly increasing its commercial manufacturing and packaging capacity, forming part of the Group’s ongoing global expansion investment programme totalling £400m.

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Arran Chemical Company celebrates 40 successful years in business

brendanhagan — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Twenty-million-euro investment by Almac Group trebles chemical company’s revenues and innovative services

Arran Chemical Company (Arran), a member of the Almac Group, is celebrating 40 years in operation.

Originally founded in 1984 by Dr Anthony Owens, Almac acquired the company in 2015 to combine its biocatalysis and flow chemistry expertise with Arran’s large scale manufacturing capacity to improve production processes while enhancing sustainability.

Arran has grown significantly under Almac’s ownership – having invested over €20 million to date, revenues have more than trebled and employee numbers have grown from 45 to 125 people. Further planned facility and capacity expansions will support growth and meet future client demands.

Arran is a named manufacturer of key building blocks that go into over 30 different commercial drugs ranging from products that are used to treat hypertension, cardiovascular issues, renal problems and epilepsy among others. As well as life-changing pharmaceutical products, Arran manufactures aroma chemicals for the fragrances industry used in high-end perfumes and personal performance applications. Arran also manufactures a range of fine chemicals used by the contact lens sector.

Dr. Stephen Barr, President and Managing Director of Almac Sciences said: “We are delighted Arran has reached this operational milestone and are proud of our global reputation for excellence built over these 40 years.

“Our success and ability to provide first class service has only been made possible by the dedication of our exceptional employees, and we pay tribute to their work as we reflect on this milestone. As we look to an exciting future, we wish to thank everyone who has played their part in our story so far. So, to our employees, clients, suppliers and other key stakeholders, thank you.”

Professor Tom Moody, VP Technology Development and Commercialisation for Arran added: “Arran has engaged and thrived in chemical manufacturing for 40 years and continues to innovate in this space through the development of new technologies and subsequent deployment at production scale.

“Almac’s continued investment has allowed us to future-proof the business and we are excited about the years to come. I also echo my thanks to our great team in Athlone, our clients and key stakeholders. We look forward to reaching new milestones and making further advancements across the business.”

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Almac Announces Investment in Singapore to Enhance Cold Chain Facility for Global Pharmaceutical Sponsors and Patients

brendanhagan — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Almac Clinical Services has announced a significant investment to develop a new frozen facility in Singapore which will quadruple the existing facility’s floorspace and provide an additional 480 storage locations.

This strategic investment aims to enhance Almac’s service offerings in the APAC region, ensuring that global pharmaceutical sponsors receive optimal support across their clinical supply chain.

This development will expand the existing infrastructure to accommodate both production and logistics activities. The state-of-the-art facility will operate at temperatures ranging from -25°C to -15°C and will include a dedicated secondary production room with frozen conditions, further enhancing Almac’s capabilities in managing temperature-sensitive clinical supplies.

Almac is also expanding its range of global secondary clinical supply packaging and temperature-controlled clinical supply and logistics services. These enhancements will support industry trends and the growing demand for advanced cold chain management solutions.

Commenting on the investment Kevin Cheong, Director of Clinical Operations at Almac Clinical Services, said: “The growth of biologics and the complexities surrounding their development and use, necessitates continuous improvement. Biologics are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, including temperature, light, pH, and oxygen levels. Even minor deviations can lead to significant changes in the stability efficacy, and safety of these products.

This investment will significantly enhance our ability to support our global pharmaceutical sponsors and underscores our dedication to providing the best service offering to clients, ensuring that patients receive the right drugs, at the right time and in the right condition.

Our commitment to advancing human health drives us to continually improve all our services and infrastructure. Securing the best possible outcome for patients worldwide is the reason we Supply with Care™.”

For more information about Almac and its comprehensive clinical services, please visit www.almacgroup.com/clinical-services.

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Almac Pharma Services Announces Successful FDA Inspection at Charnwood, UK Facilities

brendanhagan — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Almac Pharma Services, a member of the privately owned Almac Group providing innovative pharmaceutical development, manufacture and commercial services to global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, is delighted to announce the successful completion of its first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection of its commercial manufacturing facility in Charnwood, England.

The pre-approval inspection which took place over the course of five days was in relation to a solid oral dose product which the site will manufacture for a global pharmaceutical company. On completion, the inspector concluded the facility, systems and practices comply with FDA requirements with no Form 483 observations or comments reported.

Since its acquisition in 2015, Almac Pharma Services’ facility, which is set within the Charnwood Campus in Loughborough, has experienced significant growth and now employs over 250 highly skilled and experienced individuals. The site provides a wide range of oral dose development and manufacturing specialising in high potency and age-appropriate treatment options.

This successful FDA inspection marks a significant milestone as it represents the final Almac Pharma Services’ site to receive FDA approval. This achievement now complements the existing FDA-approved facilities at the company’s global headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, Dundalk, Ireland, and its US facility in Audubon, Pennsylvania. It also further reinforces the company’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of quality as it experiences significant growth across its product development, manufacture and commercialisation services to meet ongoing client needs.

Almac Pharma Services’ Vice President, Quality, Ian Markwell commented: “This milestone underscores our commitment to maintaining the highest quality standards and regulatory compliance enabling us to consistently deliver best-in-class services to our clients. With this achievement, we continue to strengthen our position as a trusted, reliable and stable partner as we work together to advance human health for the sake of patients in need.”

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Almac Group’s power purchase agreement for renewable energy goes live

brendanhagan — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Almac will reduce carbon emissions from electricity consumed at Craigavon headquarters by 95% through wind power purchase agreement

Niall Harkin, Executive Director, Almac Group

Almac Group has announced that it is now actively sourcing electricity generated by the newly constructed Murley wind farm, located in Co. Tyrone, as part of their 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA), which was signed earlier this year. The agreement will reduce carbon emissions by over 95% from electricity consumed at Almac’s Global HQ in Craigavon, as almost all of the site’s electricity will ultimately be generated by the windfarm.

Almac’s share of the wind project will deliver 34GWh of renewable electricity annually. Murley, owned by NTR Renewable Energy Income Fund II, is a 21.6MW windfarm with six wind turbines.

This reduction in Almac’s carbon footprint represents a significant step in the Group’s progress towards its carbon reduction goals.

“We are delighted that this project is now operational and that our Craigavon site is now being powered with fully certified electricity from renewable energy,” said Niall Harkin, Executive Director, Almac Group. “This project is a crucial step on our journey to net zero and will significantly reduce carbon emissions from the electricity we consume.

“I am hugely encouraged by the progress that we are making on our climate journey and proud to mark this significant milestone we announce today.”

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Almac Pharma Services Appoints New VP of Business Development

thomasdrake — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Almac Pharma Services, a member of the privately owned Almac Group providing innovative pharmaceutical development, manufacture and commercial services to global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, has announced the appointment of Simon Wright as its new Vice President of Business Development.

In his new role, Simon, who holds a BSc in Chemistry, will oversee Almac Pharma Services’ global business development and marketing strategy, in addition to supporting the Senior Leadership team in managing strategic business relationships with existing clients and developing opportunities to drive growth and market expansion for the business.

With a career spanning 30 years, Simon brings a wealth of experience in global business development, strategic leadership, and client relationship management. Most recently, Simon held the position of Head, Global Commercial Operations for Argenta where he was responsible for the management of new and existing customer relationships. Prior to this, he spent over 2 decades with Catalent where he held various senior business development roles and executed effective strategies for building strong relationships with internal teams and customers.

Welcoming Simon to the role, John McQuaid, President and Managing Director, Almac Pharma Services said, “We are delighted to have Simon on board. His experience, coupled with his deep industry knowledge and proven track record of developing successful partnerships, is a vital addition to our senior leadership team. We look forward to working with him as, together, we drive continued growth and success for Almac Pharma Services.”

The appointment comes just 2 months after Almac Pharma Services announced the completion of a custom-built, high-volume facility significantly increasing its commercial manufacturing and packaging capacity, forming part of the Group’s ongoing global expansion investment programme totalling £400m.

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Almac Discovery nominates ALM-401 as a First in Class Bispecific Next Generation ADC targeting EGFR/ROR1 to progress into pre-clinical development

thomasdrake — Thu, 30 May 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Almac Discovery, a research driven drug discovery company and member of the Almac Group, has today announced the nomination of a new pre-clinical candidate molecule (ALM-401), a First in Class Bispecific Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) for the treatment of refractory lung cancer, characterised by dual expression of ROR1 and EGFR.

ALM-401 has demonstrated an excellent preclinical efficacy profile in a range of models when benchmarked against clinical stage ROR1 targeting ADCs, as well as strong preclinical development potential.

The bispecific nature of ALM-401 enhances both the activity and selectivity of the product relative to monospecific drug conjugates, delivering sustained regressions in a series of NSCLC PDX models, and with a consistently improved efficacy profile relative to a clinical stage monospecific ROR1 targeting ADC. ALM-401 has a pleiotropic mechanism of action: in addition to direct tumour cell-killing, it blocks EGFR-mediated signalling and induces bystander killing for increased therapeutic activity. The architecture of ALM-401 has been designed to be half the size of a conventional ADC to promote improved tumour penetration and ease of manufacture.

Dr Graham Cotton, Vice President Protein Therapeutics at Almac Discovery, said: “The nomination of this candidate drug represents a significant value inflection point in the development of our ADC portfolio and an important step forward in our search for new treatments for solid tumours. This molecule has arisen from our strategic collaboration with Elasmogen Ltd, and we are confident that ALM-401 has the potential to progress to a First-in-Class drug which exploits the co-localisation of these clinically validated targets.”

Prof. Tim Harrison, VP Drug Discovery at Almac Discovery, added: “We see the emergence of new ADC formats including bispecific and biparatopic pairings as an important stepping stone in the evolution of ADCs, and are excited about the potential of ALM-401. We are now seeking to identify a partner to accelerate the clinical development of this molecule.”

For further details contact Enda Gribbon (enda.gribbon@almacgroup.com)

Connect with Enda Gribbon to arrange a meeting at Bio 2024, San Diego to discuss the potential of ALM401 for the treatment of refractory lung cancer.

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Almac Group announces record revenue figure resulting from another year of growth

thomasdrake — Tue, 28 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Revenue up 14% to £958m with profit at £93.8m

Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has today announced its financial results for year ending 30 September 2023.

Figures released show the company recorded a £118 million (14%) rise in revenue, up from £840 million in 2022 to £958 million in the period. Operating profit rose again – final pre-tax profits were recorded at £93.8 million, down slightly from £97 million (3.3%) in the previous year, due to a significant exchange rate adjustment¹.

The numbers released cover the second year of Almac Group’s £400M global expansion plans, announced in November 2021. This global expansion programme announced the creation of 1,800 new roles at Almac. 1,200 of those have already been filled and current Almac Group employee numbers now exceeds 7,300.

Almac is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to patients around the world. During this financial year the group was involved in the development of hundreds of life-saving drugs spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiology, immunology, gene therapy and neurology.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group Chairman and CEO said: “We are a privately-owned and independent company, committed to re-investing all our profit back into the business. We continuously innovate and expand our business offerings, enabling us to support our clients while advancing human health.

“Today’s announcement is a welcome continuation of growth for the Almac Group, and I would like to thank everyone within the organisation for playing their part. Our valued global workforce is Almac’s greatest asset providing the foundation for our success.

“Almac is dedicated to ensuring we remain a global leader in our industry, giving our clients and ultimately patients across the world the best possible offering. We continue to play our part as a valued and trusted member of the communities in which we operate.”

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Almac Pharma Services Supports Industry Consortium to Address Titanium Dioxide Alternative Challenge

brendanhagan — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:56:20 +0000

Almac Pharma Services, a member of the privately owned Almac Group providing innovative pharmaceutical development, manufacture and commercial services to global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, has announced the completion of multiple assessments in support of a global pharmaceutical industry Consortium to help address the challenge of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) usage in drug products.

With over 50 years’ experience in product development and an established reputation for oral dose formulation expertise, Almac Pharma Services was selected by the Consortium to support the critical investigation into TiO₂-free systems with the aim of future proofing the delivery of safe and effective solid oral treatment supply to patients in need.

Due to its unique properties, TiO₂ has been used as a colourant, opacifier and for protection from UV radiation on solid oral dosage forms for decades. In 2022, following an assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the EU commission banned TiO₂ from use in food but allowed its ongoing use in medicines upon the recommendation of the EMA, with a further review scheduled for April 2024. The European Commission is expected to make a final decision on the ban in February 2025 following the update EMA assessment^[1].

To coordinate activities and deliver an industry-aligned assessment, a grouping of (>20) industry leading pharmaceutical companies was formed in 2022 to collectively address this via a new pre-competitive industry Consortium. The aim of the ‘Alternatives Consortium’ was to generate evidence that can be used by the EMA to support the re-evaluation of the feasibility of removing TiO₂ from the list of excipients for use in medicines.

In preparation for the pending EMA review, the time sensitive project was initiated in March 2023 and members of the Consortium provided a full brief of the requirements. In true partnership with key members of the group, Almac’s scientific experts conducted multiple assessments with respect to the processibility and manufacture of TiO₂-free options based on their effectiveness, impact on product and general technical feasibility.

Upon completion of the 12-month investigation involving a significant volume of testing, and meeting all key milestones throughout the project, Almac provided a comprehensive range of observations and significant data sets enabling the Consortium to submit their final report to the EMA.

Alan Carmody, TiO₂ Alternative Consortium, experimental and data interpretation work stream lead: “When the consortium approached Almac we set out a significant challenge to evaluate 34 different film coat systems and 17 hard shell capsule systems. Almac accepted the challenge and have been excellent partners showing resilience and flexibility to meet our requirements and produce the comprehensive data package we required for our submission to the EMA.“

John McQuaid, President & Managing Director, Almac Pharma Services commented on the partnership: “We recognised the enormous challenge a potential ban on titanium dioxide usage could have for many products across the industry. Being able to partner with a global Consortium to support this crucial investigation into suitable TiO₂ alternatives has been incredibly rewarding for our teams as we worked together to find a solution to safeguard patients now, and in the future.”

Last month, Almac Pharma Services announced the completion of a custom-built, high-volume facility significantly increasing its commercial manufacturing and packaging capacity, forming part of the Group’s ongoing global expansion investment programme totalling £400m.

[1] https://www.raps.org/News-and-Articles/News-Articles/2023/11/Pharma-groups-fight-proposed-ban-on-titanium-dioxi

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Almac Group partners with Reach Out and Read at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to distribute 6,000 books at CHOP Primary Care, Souderton

thomasdrake — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Funding by Almac will help distribute thousands of books to local families during well-child visits at CHOP Primary Care, Souderton location

In celebration of World Book Day this April 23, Almac Group is pleased to fund Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) award winning, national Reach Out and Read programme serving the Primary Care, Souderton location for one year, effective immediately.

Almac’s backing will allow Reach Out and Read at CHOP to procure 6,000 books to be distributed by medical providers at CHOP Primary Care, Souderton to all patients ages newborn to five during well-child visits. As an early literacy intervention programme, the Reach Out and Read model enables physicians and nurse practitioners to use the books as a developmental surveillance tool during well-visits and as a springboard for conversations with parents about the importance of reading aloud, all while building home libraries for children no matter their financial resources.

As a celebration of World Book Day and the launch of this partnership, a volunteer activity at Almac is set for April 23 for employees to help prepare over 1,000 books for the inaugural book delivery.

“Almac is thrilled to promote the importance of equitable access to literacy this World Book Day through our support of Reach Out and Read at CHOP,” said Valarie Higgins, Managing Director and President of Almac Clinical Technologies. “Recognising how vitally important early literacy skills are for childhood development, we applaud CHOP’s incredible efforts to make this award winning programme accessible in Greater Philadelphia.”

“Reach Out and Read’s mission to support healthy brain and social/emotional development in children through reading directly aligns with Almac’s mission to advance human health, as well as our commitment being an enduring example of corporate social responsibility here in Souderton,” added Mark Rohlfing, Vice President of Operations, Almac Clinical Services. “We are thrilled to assist CHOP through this sponsorship to benefit patients in this community.”

“We are so thankful for Almac’s generous donation to Reach Out and Read at CHOP Primary Care, Souderton. The children excitedly anticipate a new book at each well check which develops their love of reading at a very young age,” said Kathy Filograna, MD, Regional Medical Director, CHOP Primary Care Network and Medical Director, CHOP Primary Care, Souderton. “With this donation, our families will have the opportunity to curl up with a good book, read to their children, while expanding their imaginations and developing those important early literacy skills.”

Endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics as the sole evidence-based national pediatric programme centred on emotional bonding, Reach Out and Read annually serves more than 4.4 million children in every state across the U.S., delivering services through 6,200 clinics and leveraging the expertise of 36,000 clinicians. Through the CHOP Primary Care Centers, Reach Out and Read will serve at least 93,000 young children, ages newborn through 5 years, and distribute at least 160,000 brand-new, age-appropriate books this year.

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Amicus Therapeutics Inc and Almac Pharma Services Mark 15-year Strategic Partnership with Patient Advocacy Event

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:59:41 +0000

Almac Pharma Services, a member of the privately owned Almac Group providing innovative pharmaceutical development, manufacture and commercial services to global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, has celebrated a key milestone of its strategic partnership with global biotechnology company, Amicus Therapeutics Inc, by hosting a patient advocacy event for its employees.

Almac Pharma Services commenced their relationship with Amicus in 2009 by providing product development and clinical manufacture services and continued its successful partnership as the drug moved into commercialisation after gaining FDA and EMA approval. Almac’s expert teams has now provided fully integrated, end-to-end commercial manufacture, packaging and distribution solutions to Amicus for over 15 years from its Craigavon headquarter facility ensuring reliable and efficient global distribution to meet ongoing patient demand.

To mark the occasion, on 17^th April, Almac Pharma Services welcomed Amicus Therapeutics’ Chief Patient Advocate, Jayne Gershkowitz along with several patient advocates, who shared their experiences of living with a rare disease with Almac’s employees. The two-hour information session offered a unique opportunity for team members from across multiple departments including packaging, distribution, project, quality and engineering to hear, first-hand, from patients about their journey from rare disease diagnosis to treatment and the impact this has had on their lives.

Andrew Harrison, Packaging Team Leader, an Almac Pharma Services employee for over 30 years, attended the event and commented: “This patient advocacy event has given us all the opportunity to learn more about the impact a disease has on, not only the patients, but their families too. Hearing from individuals about their lived experience in this way enables us to gain a deep understanding and appreciate the positive contribution we are making every single day to healthcare.”

Grainne Hughes, VP Business Support Operations, Almac Pharma Services, stated: “We are extremely proud of the strong, global reputation that Almac has built over the last 55 years as a trusted and stable CDMO partner.

“Partnering with the Amicus team to support the ongoing supply of their drug has been hugely rewarding for our team. Knowing that our support is contributing to patient health in this way is clear motivation to ensure we continue to provide best-in-class, tailored services to our clients. We thoroughly enjoy working with Amicus and look forward to our continued partnership.”

Jayne Gershkowitz, Chief Patient Advocate, Amicus, commented: “Celebrating our 15-year partnership with Almac is an important milestone, and a testament to the significance of shared vision in supporting the rare disease community. We are honoured to be part of this event and bring the perspective of patients to Almac to inspire the team to continue its important work of making medicines that improve the lives of people with rare diseases.”

Just last month, as part of the Group’s ongoing global expansion investment totalling £400m, the company announced the completion of a 32,000 square feet custom-built high-volume facility that significantly increases its existing commercial manufacturing and packaging capacity.

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Almac Clinical Services celebrates Grace Science, LLC in dosing first NGLY1 deficient patient with their innovative gene therapy

admin — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:04:28 +0000

Almac Clinical Services is proud to celebrate Grace Science, LLC in reaching a critical milestone in their innovative GS-100 gene therapy programme for NGLY1 Deficiency— dosing their first patient in February 2024.

NGLY1 Deficiency is a life-threatening rare autosomal recessive disease with no approved therapy. The disease devastates the central nervous system, causing severe and debilitating symptoms, such as global developmental delay, cognitive impairment, movement disorders, and other neurological symptoms. Grace Science’s gene therapy, GS-100, is an AAV9 single-stranded viral vector that encodes a full-length version of the human NGLY1 gene.

Almac was honoured to support Grace Science in meeting this milestone, which required a fast-tracked dosing schedule to meet a momentous “dosing day” target in late February. The target date was especially significant as it coincided with Rare Disease Day.

Understanding that there was no room for error on the timeline, Almac’s clinical services teams from both the Souderton, PA and Durham, NC facilities sprang into action. Leading up to “dosing day,” the teams worked “all hands on deck” to ensure the high-value gene therapy product made it on time and in the right temperature sensitive condition to the site in Houston, Texas.

“I want to thank all of my colleagues across Almac that worked around the clock to dose patient 1 in Grace Science’s exciting new gene therapy trial,” said Todd Huml, Project Services Manager- Customer Support. “This was a true showing of departments across the company coming together to meet a patient’s need and truly Supply with Care.”

“This trial of a high-value, sub 80 degree gene therapy product has the potential to make a considerable impact on the lives of patients with NGLY1 Deficiency. Grace Science is a passionate partner and we are proud that Almac was able to play a role in this incredible milestone in their journey towards a cure.”

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Almac Group announces support of ESG category at this year’s Belfast Telegraph Business Awards

admin — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:29:08 +0000

Almac Group is a global leader in providing a range of expert services and support across the drug development lifecycle.

Niall Harkin, executive director of Almac Group, commented on Almac’s support for the ESG category in Belfast Telegraph Business Awards.

“Being a responsible business has always been ingrained in our culture at Almac. ESG (environmental, social and governance) is key to how we do business, and it is of growing importance for our clients, our people, and our potential new employees. Now more than ever it is imperative that companies act on ESG.

“Given its rising importance, it’s crucial to acknowledge the changes you need to make, be transparent about the progress made, and then take steps to make the changes happen. We are pleased to support the ESG category at this year’s Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, to recognise a company that has demonstrated excellence in this area with an ambitious ESG agenda right at the heart of its organisation.”

Read the full article here

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Almac Group Expands Commercial Manufacturing and Packaging as well as Peptide Production Capacity

brendanhagan — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:45:59 +0000

Ongoing Global expansion investment now totals over £400m / $500m

The Almac Group has today announced the completion of two new purpose-built facilities at its headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland meeting client demand in commercial manufacturing and packaging as well as peptide production.

The multi-million-pound large-scale expansion substantially grows operations for two of the Group’s business units, Almac Pharma Services and Almac Sciences.

The first of these two major projects is a 32,000 square feet custom-built high-volume facility for Almac Pharma Services that significantly increases commercial manufacturing and packaging of sachet drug product presentations. The investment includes additional large-scale manufacturing suites, automated primary and secondary sachet packaging technologies and also expands the company’s QC Laboratory Testing capacity.

The second project is a 28,000 square feet GMP facility that more than doubles peptide API manufacturing capacity for Almac Sciences. It will enhance synthesis, purification and isolation capabilities and meet anticipated demand for clinical development and commercial products.

These new developments are part of Almac’s global investment programme announced in June 2022. Since the start of the programme Almac has also announced a Centre of Excellence for Commercial Drug Product Partnership; a CDx Development, Manufacturing and Commercial centre; a drug substance GMP facility for clinical and commercial manufacturing; further expansion to clinical production and distribution capabilities in Souderton, Pennsylvania and the launch of cryogenic and ultra-low service capabilities for clinical supply in Durham, North Carolina.

Graeme McBurney, Chief Operating Officer, Almac Group said: “Today’s announcement of continued expansion ensures that we remain the global leaders in our industry, giving our clients and ultimately patients across the world who benefit from these therapeutics, the best possible offering from Almac.

“Our new peptide API manufacturing facility will significantly grow our portfolio of client APIs and is the latest stage of a wider development and manufacturing expansion initiative for Almac Sciences. The business has also recently opened a new technology development centre, installed additional small molecule API GMP reactors, and opened a dedicated chemical warehouse.

“In the drug product service arm of our business, Almac Pharma Services is adding to its large-scale commercial manufacturing and packaging capabilities in response to growing demand for tailored solutions to meet clients’ market growth needs. This allows us to support our clients throughout a drug’s lifespan, from early development through to commercialisation.

“Almac Group believes it is vital to keep growing our capacity and our range of service offerings to meet the growing needs of all our clients now and into the future. I am extremely proud of the strong, global reputation that Almac has built over the last 55 years as a trusted and stable CDMO partner for the world’s leading biopharma companies.

“We are a privately-owned and independent company, committed to re-investing all our profit back into the business so that we can continuously innovate and expand, enabling us to support our clients and together advance human health.”

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Almac Group signs virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for renewable energy – reducing their global scope 2 emissions by 46%

brendanhagan — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 09:50:29 +0000

Almac Group today announced a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with renewable energy provider, NTR plc. to source electricity generated by the newly constructed Murley wind farm, located in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The agreement will reduce scope 2 carbon emissions by 46% across Almac’s operations globally and by over 95% at Almac’s Global HQ in Craigavon, as almost all of the site’s electricity will ultimately be generated by the windfarm.

Almac’s Craigavon site has undergone significant expansion in recent years with Almac announcing hundreds of £millions of investment in 2022. The campus currently employs over 4,000 of Almac’s 7,000 global workforce supporting pharma and biotech companies in their drug development process.

Almac’s share of the wind project will deliver 34GWh of renewable electricity annually. Murley is a 21.6MW windfarm with six wind turbines currently in late-stage construction and is expected to be operational by July 2024.

This reduction in Almac’s carbon footprint represents a significant step in the Group’s progress towards its carbon reduction goals. Signing this agreement follows a number of recent steps taken by the Group to support their 2045 net zero target. These include joining the Science Based targets Initiative (SBTi) which defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting.

“We are delighted to partner with NTR on this exciting project which will allow us to power the operations at our Craigavon site with fully certified renewable energy,” said Niall Harkin, Executive Director, Almac Group. “Almac’s participation in this project is a crucial step on our journey to net zero and will significantly reduce carbon emissions from the electricity we consume.

“As a global leader in providing a range of expert services and support across the drug development lifecycle, it is crucial that we demonstrate our commitment to the long-term sustainability goals of the sector. I am hugely encouraged by the progress that we are making on our climate journey and proud to mark this significant milestone we announce today.”

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Almac Launches Manufacturing and Development Recruitment Drive

brendanhagan — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 13:52:21 +0000

Following recent significant expansion Almac Group is recruiting for a large variety of roles at the company’s global headquarters in Craigavon.

This expansion offers a wide range of opportunities to suit people no matter what their qualifications or experience. There are roles for all – those who do not have a degree, recent graduates and people who are experienced in their field. All of these roles offer huge potential to progress in a rewarding and varied career.

Available roles include Grade 3 Senior Operators, Production Technicians, Production Specialists and Production Team Leaders within the Production and Operation teams as well as Formulation Development and Technical Specialist roles within our Scientific, Engineering and Technical teams.

The company is hosting an information day at the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown on Tuesday 6th February from 12pm and 8pm to give prospective applicants the opportunity to hear more about the roles and speak to managers and current team members. HR representatives will also be on hand to provide advice on completing the application form and to discuss the benefits and progression pathways that exist within Almac.

Tom Hegarty, Head of Technical Operations at Almac Pharma Services, said: “We are pleased to be recruiting for a range of roles to support our growing global business and continue to meet increasing client demand. We look forward to welcoming new colleagues who can make a meaningful contribution to the development and delivery of life-saving treatments and help us in our mission to advance human health together.”

To find out more about the roles or register for our recruitment event visit:

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Almac Group awards over $120,000 in higher education funding to two undergraduate students

brendanhagan — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 09:08:24 +0000

Group renews commitment to reducing educational barriers in communities local to US- based facilities in Philadelphia, PA and Durham, NC

This National Scholarship Month, Almac Group announces that the Almac Group Scholarship programme has been extended to award over $120,000 in funding to two recipients in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Durham, North Carolina.

Almac Group’s needs- based scholarship awards are valued between $45,000- $80,000 per recipient and are distributed across four years. With the average college debt sitting at over $30,000 per student in the United States, Almac developed this award programme in 2021 through partnerships with the Triangle Community Foundation and Philadelphia Education Fund to make a considerable, measurable impact on the life of its recipients.

Applicants must be first generation college students and live in the communities local to the Group’s US-based facilities in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

In Pennsylvania, the 2023 recipient is Daniarkos Pierre of Philadelphia. Daniarkos is a graduate of Olney High School and the Philadelphia Education Fund’s College Access Program. She is currently studying biology at Montclair State University.

In North Carolina, the 2023 recipient of the Almac award is Monserrat Elizalde Martinez of Durham. Monserrat is a graduate of Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School and is studying mechanical engineering at North Carolina State University.

In addition to tuition and fee assistance, recipients will have the opportunity to develop a meaningful relationship with Almac Group during their undergraduate study, gaining exposure to the organisation’s role in the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

“We are delighted to announce that Almac has extended our partnership with the Triangle Community Foundation and the Philadelphia Education Fund to recognise and award two additional students from our local communities this year,” commented Alan Armstrong, Almac Group Chairman and CEO.

“At Almac, it is one of our core values to give back to the communities in which we operate. Our successful scholarship programme has allowed us to not only financially support local students in their educational ambitions, but also to welcome them to Almac for meaningful experiences. We congratulate both Monserrat and Daniarkos for all of their success and achievement thus far and look forward to supporting their educational ambitions over the next four years.”

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Almac Discovery and Queen’s University launch state-of-the-art Chemoproteomics facility in Belfast

brendanhagan — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Almac Discovery and Queen’s University Belfast have today announced a five-year project to develop a new Chemoproteomics Centre of Excellence for drug discovery.

The multi-million-pound facility, which is jointly funded by Almac Discovery and a BBSRC Prosperity Partnership award, is a first of its kind in Northern Ireland and will be located at Queen’s.

The project combines and harnesses the experience of industrial and academic experts to shine a new light on the way drug molecules could be used to treat disease, by using advanced mass spectrometry techniques to examine their effects on thousands of potential drug targets simultaneously, in disease relevant systems.

This latest collaboration builds on a long-established relationship between Almac Discovery and Queen’s in biological research and early-stage drug discovery. It will leverage the capabilities and state-of-the-art expertise of Queen’s researchers in mass spectrometry and biological research across three Queen’s University research centres.

Securing a Prosperity Partnership award for this project highlights the importance of advanced proteomics in addressing drug discovery challenges which will ultimately make a difference to people’s lives.

Professor Tim Harrison, Vice President of Almac Discovery said: “Creating this industry-facing, university-based facility represents a unique opportunity to provide a step-change in proteomics-based experimental capabilities in Northern Ireland.

“Our vision is to build an internationally recognised resource comprising chemical probes, experimental capabilities, and proteomics expertise which will accelerate the research and development programmes of regional, national and international industrial and academic partners.”

Professor Christopher Scott, Dean of Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Queen’s, said: “We are delighted to see this new exciting initiative which will drive the research capabilities of both Queen’s and Almac. Our vision is that this Centre of Excellence will become a national asset that can help support broader research and education pipelines nationally”.

The Centre of Excellence will also enhance Northern Ireland’s drug discovery research capabilities, providing skills training for apprenticeships through to doctoral researchers.

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Almac Pharma Services Receives Brazilian ANVISA GMP Certification for US Facility

brendanhagan — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 13:07:16 +0000

Almac Pharma Services, a member of the Almac Group providing product development, manufacturing and commercial services to global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, has received its ANVISA GMP Certificate for the company’s Pennsylvanian facility, which approves the site for supply of products into Brazil.

An ANVISA GMP certificate is issued by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) to confirm that an establishment complies with the technical requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) needed for commercialising a product, according to the current law.

The facility, located in Audubon, is an established, FDA approved site offering a range of specialist pharmaceutical product launch and commercial supply solutions including complex patient kit processing and complements Almac Pharma Services’ three European locations.

Harry Lindenmuth, VP Operations and Audubon Site Head, Almac Pharma Services, said: “This certification marks an important regulatory milestone for our facility in Audubon, PA. It represents further evidence of our continued commitment to offering best-in-class, quality-led and tailored services for our clients, and the patients they serve.

“This accomplishment is testament to the continued progress in developing the site by the Audubon team. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this possible. We look forward to the continued growth of Almac Pharma Services in the US.”

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Almac Group releases 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

brendanhagan — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:07:54 +0000

Annual report highlights the Group’s progress and commitments to our people, our planet, and the communities in which we operate.

Almac Group today announces the release of the company’s 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility report, which highlights Almac’s progress and commitments to our people, our planet, and the communities in which we operate.

The report also provides insights into Almac’s client delivery across the drug development pipeline, and a look into the company’s ambitious growth strategy posed to sustain best-in-class service offerings to clients and bolster innovation.

Alan Armstrong, Chairman and CEO, commented: “Almac’s mission to advance human health is the driving force behind everything we do as an organisation. We are exceedingly proud of how we have delivered on our responsibilities this year—particularly, our progress towards our commitment to reach net zero by 2045, our further investment in health and wellbeing offerings for our people, and our contributions to our communities.

“We are also proud to recognise the essential role our colleagues have played in our success – by living out our mission each day, they are collectively impacting human health across the globe.”

In 2022, Almac announced a commitment to reach net zero by 2045, and to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Highlights from this year’s report that support the company’s net zero ambition include:

Joining the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting for the reduction of greenhouse gases

Appointing a dedicated Global Energy Manager to drive actions to support Almac’s net zero commitment, and develop business improvement initiatives across the globe

Almac is also wholly committed to supporting, developing, and rewarding our people, as well as making a positive and lasting contribution to our communities. Highlights from the last year in these areas include:

2,000 employees received recognition awards

Reaching 100% of employees with health and wellbeing programme

Supporting 40 different charities through global philanthropy

Reaching an estimated 10,000 post-primary pupils through in-person and virtual outreach programmes.

Almac’s CSR strategy is designed to align priorities with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI).

Read the full report here – https://www.almacgroup.com/corporate-social-responsibility

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Almac Group releases details of £80 million expansion in Northern Ireland

brendanhagan — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Expansion will create 550 jobs in 140,000ft² development and manufacturing facilities

The Almac Group has today announced details of an £80 million investment programme to build new extensive manufacturing, production and diagnostic laboratory facilities at its Global Headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

The construction of these two significant facilities will create over 550 jobs locally, spanning a range of lab and non-lab-based roles, with recruitment already commenced for some positions. This is part of the company’s international recruitment drive which is expected to create 1,000 jobs in Northern Ireland over three years.

The expansion, which is part of the global investment programme announced in 2022, will significantly grow operations for two of the Group’s business units, Almac Pharma Services and Almac Diagnostic Services.

Almac Pharma Services supports the development and commercialisation of new treatment options for a wide range of therapy areas including oncology and immunology. Almac Diagnostic Services offers a range of biomarker discovery, development and commercialisation solutions to Biopharma partners globally.

The first of these two major projects is a 100,000ft² state-of-the-art multi-product Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility for Almac Pharma Services. This Centre of Excellence for manufacturing will house a custom designed dispensary area, multiple production suites, process equipment wash facilities and a lineside warehouse for ambient, refrigerated and frozen storage. The new facility will primarily support solid oral dose products, complementing Almac’s existing capabilities in this area.

The facility, which will be operational from Q3 2024, will expand Almac Pharma Services’ existing manufacturing capabilities and offers additional capacity for further strategic production contracts. The high-specification production suites have been designed with flexibility and a wide range of uses in mind which offers opportunities for clients to install bespoke technology specific to their individual needs.

The second project is a 40,000 ft² four-storey diagnostic development and manufacturing centre for Almac Diagnostic Services which will be completed by Q1 2024. The new facility will enable Almac Diagnostic Services to expand its assay development offering and to manufacture and distribute Companion Diagnostic (CDx) kits on a commercial scale to support growing client demand.

This expansion will enhance Almac’s existing early phase biomarker development capabilities through to assay development and deployment in clinical trials, cementing the company’s position in the market as a fully resourced partner of choice to pharma companies for manufacturing and commercialisation of companion diagnostics.

Alan Armstrong, Chief Executive of Almac Group said: “Almac is committed to re-investing all our profit back into the business.

“This £80 million expansion and the creation of 550 new, highly skilled jobs in Northern Ireland will ensure that we remain the global leaders in our industry, giving our clients and ultimately patients across the world who benefit from these therapeutics, the best possible offering from Almac.”

These projects have been supported by Invest Northern Ireland who have welcomed the development and ongoing expansion of the Almac Group.

Jeremy Fitch, Executive Director of Business Growth Group, Invest Northern Ireland said: “Almac’s commitment to innovation and excellence has positioned it as a cornerstone of our region’s Life & Health Sciences success story and supported it to build a world-renowned reputation for ground-breaking work in the global pharmaceutical industry.

“We are delighted to support this investment which is creating hundreds of employment opportunities in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area and will bolster Northern Ireland’s reputation as a hub for pharma and diagnostic development. We commend Almac’s dedication and vision and we look forward to witnessing the positive impact this investment will have on Northern Ireland’s economy and the advancement of life changing medicines.”

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Almac selected as finalist for KTP “Best of the Best” awards

amoreland — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 13:08:41 +0000

The only Northern Irish company to reach the finalist category of awards to celebrate the most positive impacts of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Almac Sciences, a member of the Almac Group, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Technical Excellence category at this year’s national Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Awards by Innovate UK.

The award nomination was based on the successful completion of a three-year research project in collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and is the only Northern Irish submission to be shortlisted.

The project involved the development of highly innovative continuous flow processes with a key focus on high pressure hydrogenations to access critical raw materials for the chemical industry. This project was recently awarded the highest grade of “outstanding” by the grading panel after successfully meeting all the KTP’s objectives and is only one of three finalists in this prestigious category.

The Innovate UK-funded KTP aimed to embed flow technologies to ensure long term security of supply for critical raw materials through development of a continuous flow technology. Continuous flow chemical manufacture is impacting the drive to strengthen supply chain resilience, contribute to Net Zero Impact and support continued growth of the chemical manufacturing sector here in the UK.

Gary Morrison, former KTP associate is now a Chemist in the Custom and Flow team at Almac commented: “It is an honour to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Technical Excellence category at this year’s national KTP awards by Innovate UK. Contributing to the evolution of flow chemistry expertise at Almac throughout the 3-year project has been hugely beneficial and I am delighted that we have been recognised. I would also like to thank my academic and industrial mentors Dr. Haresh Manyar and Dr Megan Smyth for their expertise and advice.”

Dr. Scott Wharry, Custom and Flow Chemistry Manager, Almac Sciences added: “We once again offer our congratulations to the whole team on this recognition. The KTP project has been a huge success which has embedded new technology, capacity and knowledge into Almac. As an organisation we understand the criticality of creating academic partnerships via programs such as KTP to help drive innovation whilst developing the necessary skills to secure a pipeline of talent within the pharmaceutical industry.”

The KTP awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday 18th October in Cardiff.

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Almac Group grows by 150, exceeding 500 total headcount in Durham

amoreland — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Corporate investment and client demand leads to growth in headcount by more than a third in two years.

Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, today celebrates that the company has exceeded 500 employees at its Durham, North Carolina location. This organic growth has led to 150 new employees joining the company since 2021, an over 30% increase in total headcount for the site.

Almac’s rapid growth in Durham is solely as result of inward investment and increased client demand for the company’s market – leading clinical and diagnostic services offered at the site. Since taking occupancy at the technology park in 2000, Almac has more than doubled capacity, now spanning four buildings on the campus totaling 150,000 ft2.

Almac is a privately owned, Northern Ireland – based company that re-invests all profits back into its business. The company has continued to demonstrate a commitment to the growth and stability of its North Carolina operations by launching a number of specialist capabilities for the Group at the site since its inception. These investments over the years have included significant capacity expansions for clinical supply services, the opening of diagnostic laboratory, the launch of an innovative temperature monitoring system for clinical supplies, and the addition of ultra-cold and Cryogenic clinical services capabilities to meet the demands of Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs).

As a further part of Almac’s commitment to the community, the past two years in Durham have also included ongoing and extended charitable partnerships with North Carolina A&T State University, Duke Children’s Hospital, No Kid Hungry NC, and the Triangle Community Foundation, among many others.

“We are thrilled to celebrate this corporate milestone in Durham, exceeding 500 employees,” said Donna Christopher, Global Vice President of Operations and lead of the Durham facility. “At Almac, we believe our people are our greatest asset— and it’s a testament to our meaningful work and culture that we have successfully retained and grown even among challenging times.”

“Our region here in Durham has exceptional talent, community partners and opportunities – and Almac is thrilled to continue our growth and commitment in this community. We look forward to the impact our work here will continue to have on our clients and patients globally,” she continued.

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Almac Group marks groundbreaking of $65 million facility expansion in Montgomery County

brendanhagan — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Capital growth project expands Souderton campus by nearly 50% of current footprint and brings 355 local jobs to the region.

Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, today marks the ceremonial ground breaking of a $65 million expansion project on the company’s North American headquarters campus in Souderton, PA.

This expansion is a strategic investment in Cold Chain Operations, Just-In-Time Processing, and Analytical Testing capabilities. These are crucial to supporting the development of Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs). As previously announced in August 2022, the expansion will yield a 60% increase in capacity for Almac’s clients, supported with a projected total of 355 new jobs by 2026.

The project will bring 115,000ft²of new building space to the campus, adding an additional 50% of the current footprint upon its completion in 2025. In keeping with Almac’s commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2045, construction plans will follow U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification standards for healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green buildings.

Further environmental safeguards include the installation of a 140-foot pedestrian bridge to minimise impact to the environment on the expanded campus, while also enhancing walkability for employees and guests.

This news follows Almac’s recent announcement of record breaking financial results and confirmation that its global workforce has reached 7,000.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group Chairman and CEO remarked at the ground breaking ceremony:

“Today’s ceremony is a welcome sign of the continuation of growth for the Almac Group. I would like to thank all within the organisation for playing their part in our success. We are committed to reinvesting all our profits back into the business, and this expansion in Pennsylvania will play a vital part in our continued growth.”

“Almac is dedicated to ensuring we remain a global leader in our industry, giving our clients, and ultimately patients, across the world the best possible offering. We continue to play our part as a valued and trusted member of the communities in which we operate.”

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Almac Group opens a new custom-built GMP warehouse at its Global Headquarters

amoreland — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 13:00:00 +0000

The new custom-built facility will consolidate the existing warehouses to support all manufacturing and laboratory activities.

Almac Sciences, a member of the Almac Group, has officially opened a new custom-built GMP warehouse and dispatch hub at its Global Headquarters in Craigavon, UK.

The new 19,500 square foot facility consolidates the existing warehouses and supply chain offices and will provide support to all Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing and laboratory activities, from development to commercialisation.

The warehouse has capacity to store 500 pallets of solvent, 800 pallets of 15-25^oC materials as well as walk-in fridge and freezer- all of which are connected to an Environmental Monitoring System (EMS). The facility also houses downflow booths for sampling incoming materials and is the centralised location for all staff in the Supply Chain department. An extensive expansion area also remains for additional office space on the first floor.

This new building forms part of the multi-million-pound manufacturing investment programme to support client requirements. The first stage of Almac’s GMP facility expansion was announced in December 2022 with an extension to its current GMP manufacturing facility. The next stage will create manufacturing centres of excellence to support small molecule API production at up to 200 – 300kg scale, as well as increased capacity for peptide API production.

Michael Rainey, Head of Supply Chain, Almac Sciences said: “The new warehouse has been designed to ensure there is sufficient capacity to support our manufacturing expansions in line with the GMP storage of raw materials and manufactured API. The consolidation of the Warehouse areas and Supply Chain offices provides a new central location for the warehousing, purchasing, imports and dispatch teams to provide support to the business’ ongoing growth plans.”

Dr Dan Bayston, Vice President, Small Molecule API, said: “Almac Sciences is undergoing a period of rapid growth and expansion within its manufacturing areas and our new warehousing and dispatch facility is critical to support the increased demand from our clients. This new facility at our global headquarters expands storage capacity by ~300% which aligns with our future growth plans within manufacturing, allowing us to better serve our clients, and ultimately patients, worldwide, thus enabling us to enhance human health.”

Almac has a proven track record and expertise in small molecule and peptide API manufacturing from pre-clinical to commercial scale and has developed long-established relationships from pharma and biotech clients offering comprehensive end-to-end development and manufacturing solutions. The completion of this new facility further demonstrates Almac’s commitment to support increased client demand.

The next phase of development is currently underway with further manufacturing expansions which will be announced in due course.

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Almac Group signs up to Science Based Targets initiative

amoreland — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 11:15:00 +0000

Latest announcement underscores company’s commitment to be net zero by 2045

Almac Group today announces joining the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting. This development is the latest step taken by the Group on its path to reach net zero emissions by 2045.

By signing up to SBTi, Almac will set greenhouse gas reduction targets against stringent SBTi criteria. Once targets are set, they will be submitted for validation and approval and published externally. The SBTi initiative is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Joining SBTi follows a number of other recent measures taken by the Group to support their net zero goal. These include the expansion of accreditations with the International Standard Organisation (ISO), accepted as the gold standard in health, safety and environmental activity.

In the UK and EU Almac’s sites are now accredited to ISO 50001:2018, a key standard in energy management and conservation. The Group has also expanded its ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 accreditations to include its integrated health and safety and environmental management systems at its site in Singapore. These represent important milestones along the previously announced global strategy to expand these internationally recognised accreditations to all of Almac’s facilities.

All of these recent developments are key components of Almac’s environmental strategy.

“Developing science-based targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is a crucial next step and demonstrates the commitment to our environmental responsibilities at Almac,” said Niall Harkin, Executive Director, Almac Group. “At Almac, we see transparency and alignment to internationally recognised standards as essential in demonstrating our commitment to making a measurable and positive impact on our planet. Signing up to SBTi, coupled with our latest ISO certifications represent an essential part of Almac’s plan to reach net-zero by 2045 and we are proud to mark these milestones in our progress.”

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Almac Group reaches a global workforce of 7,000 as it marks most successful financial year ever

amoreland — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 11:15:00 +0000

Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has today announced its financial results for year ending 30 September 2022.

Today’s figures show the company recorded a £105 million (14.3%) rise in revenue from £735 million in 2021 to £840 million in 2022. Pre-tax profits were recorded at £97 million, up from £81 million (20% increase) for the same period the previous year.

This comes as Almac also reveals today that its global workforce has now reached 7,000 people, a total growth of over 1,000 employees in the last 18 months. This rise, aligned with the current capital investment programme, means Almac is well on its way to delivering on the significant expansion plans that were first announced in November 2021.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group Chairman and CEO said: “Today’s announcement is a welcome continuation of growth for Almac Group, and I would like to thank all within the organisation for playing their part. We are committed to reinvesting all our profits in the business, this success will play a vital part in our continued growth, expansion, and increase in our employee numbers.

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Almac Group joins Employers for Carers to further support working carers

amoreland — Thu, 25 May 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The Almac Group, which employs over 6,500 people across the world has joined Carers UK’s business forum Employers for Carers (EFC), to enhance the support they currently give to working carers.

Almac, which is headquartered in Craigavon, is the first indigenous Northern Ireland company to join EFC, which provides guidance on how employers can support carers within the workplace.

According to Employers for Carers, almost one in seven employees juggle work with caring for older, seriously ill or disabled loved ones. The charity also says that without the right support, as many as one in six carers will have to give up work or reduce their working hours to care.

Dr Sue Bill, Global Vice President of HR, Almac Group, said: “Being the best employer is extremely important to Almac. We strive to foster a working environment and culture that is safe, inspiring and inclusive, helping our people to thrive both in and out of work.

“Given the multi-generational nature of our workforce, we know that many of our employees are juggling their work with caring responsibilities and it’s important we enable colleagues to do their caring role alongside their work.

“Being a member of Employers for Carers allows us to understand the impact caring can have and gives us additional tools and advice to provide even better support to our valued employees whether they need it now or at some point in the future.”

Liam Duggan, Senior Policy and Engagement Officer, Carers Northern Ireland, said: “We are delighted to welcome Almac on board as a member of Employers for Carers. Our purpose is to ensure that employers like Almac have the support to retain and empower employees with caring responsibilities and we very much look forward to further collaboration in the future.”

Almac has developed a host of practices and wellbeing initiatives across the business that support, develop and reward employees at every stage of their career.

This carers initiative also includes the launch of a carers toolkit which has been designed by our #All4health team to help employees define what it means to be a carer and how to access available support. A dedicated carers network will be set up to encourage employees to share advice and guidance with others and to help develop the business’s understanding of what additional support they need.

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Almac Group Hosts Recruitment Open Day in the North West as 20 new jobs are announced

brendanhagan — Thu, 11 May 2023 13:14:33 +0000

The Almac Group is actively recruiting to fill another 20 new roles, including project management, software development and quality, based at their office on the Northland Road in the North West.

Almac is hosting two information sessions at 4pm and 6pm in the Everglades Hotel on Wednesday 24^th May 2023 where interested candidates can find out more about the company and the available roles.

Some of Almac’s employees will be on hand to talk about their experiences of working at Almac. There will also be one-to-one sessions with Almac’s hiring teams to discuss CVs, hear more about individual roles and potential fast-track to interview. Registration to attend is now open.

Almac opened their facility in Derry/Londonderry in December 2021 and plans to continue developing their operations here over the next few years.

Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group, said: “We are looking for talented people from a range of different backgrounds who can apply their current skills and ideas to our industry.

“A career at Almac provides you with an excellent opportunity to join an established, global company where we are committed to your career success.  You will play an essential role in helping us to achieve our goal of advancing human health, meaning you will make a real difference.

“Almac is experiencing significant growth and filling these roles will bolster our ability to continue to support our many clients across the globe. We are proud to have our global Headquarters in Craigavon and we are very pleased that we have an established and growing base in Derry/Londonderry.

“If you are looking for a new challenge in a growing, progressive company, we want to hear from you!”

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy has welcomed news of additional new job opportunities locally with Almac. Encouraging applicants to avail of the opportunity to work with a global company of such a high calibre, Mayor Duffy said the council was delighted to be working alongside Almac in its recruitment drive and was supportive of its efforts to expand its workforce to employ the pool of educated and skilled people in the city and district.

Mayor Sandra Duffy said: “I am delighted at Almac’s success to date and excited at their level of ambition for growth for the future. The Council is committed to working with local companies to drive employment and create exciting new opportunities for job seekers. It is great to see highly skilled job opportunities being made available and I wish the company well in this latest recruitment drive. I look forward to seeing the company further expand and wish them continued success in our city and district.”

Almac is a global contract development and manufacturing organisation with over 6,500 employees located in 18 locations across the world, almost 4,000 of whom are based at the global Headquarter campus in Craigavon.

To find out more or to apply for a position, visit www.almacgroup.com/northwest-jobs

Experience of the pharmaceutical industry is not an essential requirement for these roles as full on-the-job training is provided.

ENDS

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Almac Appoints Global Energy Manager as part of ongoing commitment to net zero strategy

amoreland — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 13:03:00 +0000

The Almac Group has announced the appointment of Ramees Raja as Global Energy Manager.

This is a new role which will drive actions to support Almac’s commitment to be net zero by 2045 and to reduce the Group’s Scope one and Scope two emissions by 50 percent, by 2030.

Ramees will work closely with Almac Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Procurement teams to develop business improvement initiatives across the globe. These initiatives will include the use of solar panels across various Almac buildings, participation in power purchase agreements, moving away from the use of natural gas and the continued roll-out of our energy management standard ISO5001 across all operational Almac sites.

Ramees has more than 12 years’ experience working with a range of organisations, including Ameeri Industries and Iqonomic. He joins Almac from Muntons where he was Group Energy Manager, responsible for group’s Energy management and Renewable Energy Projects.

Ramees holds a BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and MSc in Renewable Energy Engineering.

Niall Harkin, Almac Group Executive Director said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce Ramees’ appointment as Global Energy Manager. His wealth of expertise and experience will be instrumental in progressing our sustainability commitments.”

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Almac Group Enters Strategic Partnership with North Carolina A&T University’s Deese College of Business & Economics

admin — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 12:58:00 +0000

Partnership aims to build talent pipeline between the global organisation and the top-ranked, North Carolina-based public HBCU.

Almac Group is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

The partnership will build a talent pipeline between the global organisation and the university, the nation’s largest and top-ranked public historically Black college and universities (HBCU). The partnership serves as a springboard for unique student engagement, recruitment, and mentorship opportunities with Almac Group.

Engagement launched this month with a “Day in the Life” visit for students in the Deese Aggie Supply Chain Club at Almac’s Durham, North Carolina facility, including a meet and greet for students and Almac’s global supply chain leadership, a facility tour and a panel discussion on topics ranging from global supply chain opportunities to industry career advice.

This partnership marks Almac’s latest commitment to inspire the next generation’s students in the communities local to the global organization’s 18 facilities across the world, a key corporate social responsibility and recruitment initiative of the Group.

“Almac Group is committed to investing in the future we wish to see in our communities, and understand that contributing to a strong and diverse local workforce is paramount not only for the success of Almac, but for the prosperity of our community,” said Donna Christopher, Global Vice President of Operations at Almac Clinical Services. “We are very fortunate to have an esteemed institution like North Carolina A&T right in our backyard, and we look forward to influencing future industry business leaders together.”

North Carolina A&T’s Deese College is the top-ranked undergraduate and graduate business program at a public HBCU according to U.S. News and World Reportrankings, and is a comprehensive business school with approximately 1,800 students, 87% of whom are black and 95% of whom are from underrepresented populations. The Wall Street Journal ranked A&T as the No. 2 university in America for combining research and classroom teaching.

“Almac’s commitment will provide invaluable support by preparing our students for the needs of today’s workforce,” said Dr. Lisa Owens-Jackson, interim dean of the Deese College. “Our programs strive to provide career readiness, innovative academic experiences, and experiential learning to enable and produce highly qualified students with strong business skills. Partnerships with global leaders like Almac Group open doors and enrich our students’ experience.”

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Almac Group says goodbye to Colin Hayburn

davidkane — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 09:22:59 +0000

The Almac Group would like to wish Colin Hayburn every success as he moves on from his position of Executive Director to pursue new challenges on December 31^st 2022.

For over 14 years, Colin was part of Almac Group’s Leadership team and a valued member of the Almac board. He brought a wealth of both strategic leadership and governance experience to Almac during this period of unprecedented growth for the organisation. Colin was also a Trustee of the McClay Foundation.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group CEO, said: “Colin was highly regarded by his fellow board members and colleagues from across the Almac Group. I would like to thank him for the valuable contribution he made to the organisation. We wish him every success as he leaves us to join Extern as their CEO in early 2023.”

Colin is a Queens University graduate and was awarded an MBE for services to economic development and philanthropy in June 2022.

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Almac Group Employees Raise £50,000 for Two Local Children’s Charities

davidkane — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 12:19:34 +0000

Employees from The Almac Group have raised an incredible £50,000 for two local children’s charities, Angel Wishes and the Children’s Heartbeat Trust, enabling them to continue to provide invaluable support to young people and their families across Northern Ireland.

The money was raised through Almac’s annual raffle which offered over 130 prizes.

Elaine Gibson, Almac Group’s Global Travel and Events Manager, said: “We are really pleased that thanks to the generosity of our employees, we have raised £50,000 from the raffle and can donate such a significant sum of money to both Angel Wishes and the Children’s Heartbeat Trust.”

Samantha Coleman, Fundraising Manager for Children’s Heartbeat Trust said: “Thank you most sincerely to Almac and their staff for their generous donation of £25,000 to the vital work of Children’s Heartbeat Trust. Every year in Northern Ireland 200 babies are born with a congenital heart defect. We provide, financial, emotional and practical support to children and their families living with CHD, supporting close to 500 families on a yearly basis, a diagnosis of CHD can be extremely frightening and we are there for families when they need us most. We do not receive any government funding so are indebted to companies like Almac who so generously give to our important work.”

Gaye Kerr, Angel Wishes, commented: “Angel Wishes cannot begin to express our gratitude to Almac for all their generosity and support they have given our charity from day 1. The amount of money raised is phenomenal and will make a huge difference to our families in NI affected by cancer related conditions. On a very personal note, I would like to thank Almac for helping me to keep the legacy/memory of my children Helen (aged 3) and Brian (aged 10) alive through the smiles of others.”

The draw was hosted by Almac Group’s CEO, Alan Armstrong and live-streamed on the company’s intranet.

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Agios Pharmaceuticals Celebrates PYRUKYND® Launch Success with Almac Group

davidkane — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:00:00 +0000

First Disease-Modifying Therapy for Hemolytic Anemia in Adults with Pyruvate Kinase (PK) Deficiency

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 22 November 2022 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, hosted a visit from strategic partner, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGIO), a leader in the field of cellular metabolism pioneering therapies for genetically defined diseases, to jointly celebrate the launch of its product PYRUKYND® (mitapivat) in the United States.

PYRUKYND is the first disease-modifying therapy for Hemolytic Anemia in adults with Pyruvate Kinase (PK) Deficiency – a rare, debilitating blood disorder which causes red blood cells to be broken down prematurely. The treatment was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February this year.

A team from Agios visited Almac Group’s headquarter facility in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, to meet the Almac team responsible for managing the successful clinical trial distribution and rapid multi-SKU launch of PYRUKYND earlier this year.

During its pivotal Phase 3 study, Almac Clinical Services provided global clinical supply chain expertise to assist in bringing PYRUKYND (mitapivat) to market. A full suite of end-to-end clinical supply solutions including clinical packaging, labelling, distribution and QP Services was provided, all while working collaboratively with Almac Sciences and Almac Pharma Services to create a seamless bridge between clinical and commercial development.

Agios then leveraged Almac Pharma Services’ highly experienced and tailored manufacturing and logistics expertise to anticipate and execute the bespoke printing, packaging, labelling, and shipment of multiple batches across the US within hours of FDA approval.

During the visit, Agios presented Almac with the ‘Agios Arete Award’ for ‘thriving to do the absolute best, both in Almac Pharma Services and Almac Clinical Services, one patient at a time’. The term ‘Arete’ is taken from the Greek word meaning ‘living up to one’s full potential and executing with excellence’. The award was created exclusively for Almac by an artist in Massachusetts.

“We were pleased to celebrate the successful launch of PYRUKYND with the team at Almac, and we are so appreciative of their partnership as we worked together to efficiently to bring this new medicine to patients who previously had no options,” said Wendy Xia, Vice President and Head of Supply Chain, Agios. “At Agios, we are fuelled by connections, and Almac’s expertise, collaboration, and unflagging dedication to patients were critical to the seamless launch of this first-in-class medicine for people with PK deficiency.”

The visit marked a key point in Almac Pharma Services’ relationship with Agios, providing the team with the first opportunity to see their product on site before being packed and prepared for shipment.

“We were thrilled to host this visit by Agios which was long awaited due to restrictions imposed throughout the pandemic. To receive recognition in the form of the ‘Agios Arete Award’ for our services is an absolute honour and we are delighted to share in Agios’ success. All credit goes to the multi-disciplinary teams who worked diligently to successfully deliver the timely rapid launch of PYRUKYND to patients in need and support Agios in their commitment to make a difference for people with PK deficiency.” commented Grainne Hughes, VP Business Support Operations, Almac Pharma Services.

Richard Segiel, VP Business Development North America, Almac Clinical Services, said: “We have a strong and developing relationship with Agios and are delighted with this award. Ultimately, we all strive to deliver as best we can to the benefit of every patient on every trial. Successful collaboration across the different teams and functions for both Almac and Agios has resulted in this success. We are so very proud of playing a part in helping treat patients with PK deficiency and look forward to collaborating more in the future.”

#ENDS#

About Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Agios is a biopharmaceutical company that is fueled by connections. The Agios team cultivates strong bonds with patient communities, healthcare professionals, partners and colleagues to discover, develop and deliver therapies for genetically defined diseases. In the U.S., Agios markets a first-in-class pyruvate kinase (PK) activator for adults with PK deficiency, the first disease-modifying therapy for this rare, lifelong, debilitating hemolytic anemia. Building on the company’s leadership in the field of cellular metabolism, Agios is advancing a robust clinical pipeline of investigational medicines with active and planned programs in alpha- and beta-thalassemia, sickle cell disease, pediatric PK deficiency and MDS-associated anemia. In addition to its clinical pipeline, Agios has multiple investigational therapies in preclinical development and an industry-leading research team with unmatched expertise in cellular metabolism and genetics. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.agios.com.

About Almac Pharma Services

Tailormade pharmaceutical development and commercial solutions

With over 50 years’ experience, Almac Pharma Services is a world leading outsourcing partner to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.

With facilities located in Europe and the US, we provide tailored, quality-led and timely solutions from early and late phase pharmaceutical development, clinical and commercial drug product manufacture, product launch through to commercial packaging and global distribution.

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, analytical services, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation which has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 6,600 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Agios Pharmaceuticals Celebrates PYRUKYND® Launch Success with Almac Group appeared first on Almac.

Almac Pharma Services Audubon site receives first product approval by MHRA and Health Canada

davidkane — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 09:18:55 +0000

Global contract development and manufacturing organisation, Almac Group , has announced that after the successful pre-approval inspection (PAI) of its Pharma Services’ operations located in Audubon, Pennsylvania by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the site has received product approval from the US FDA, UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Health Canada.

The PAI, conducted by three FDA Investigators last month, resulted in the approval of all three products that were covered by the inspection. The scope of the inspection included both the blistering of a multi-product blister pack as well as two products using stickpack (sachets) packaging which is an innovative new process introduced to the Audubon facility. All three product portfolios were extensively reviewed for 11 days by the investigators with no findings related to these products.

This is a significant milestone for Almac Pharma Services’ Audubon site since its initial FDA site approval in 2013 and is testimony to the company’s confidence that Almac Pharma Services will continue to grow as the global solution provider to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Ian Markwell, VP of Quality at Almac Pharma Services: “It is good to see that the successful FDA inspection earlier this year is paving the way for the approval of the Audubon site to supply products for other markets.”

Almac Pharma Services’ Audubon site provides a range of solutions for blister packs, stickpacks, and kitting. Site capabilities include a semi-automated packaging system which offers a streamlined and efficient semi-automated process for the packaging of complex medical kit components. These bespoke technologies are available to meet the needs in the U.S. market and provide worldwide supply.

#ENDS#

About Almac Pharma Services

Tailormade pharmaceutical development and commercial solutions

With over 50 years’ experience, Almac Pharma Services is a world leading outsourcing partner to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.

With facilities located in Europe and the US, we provide tailored, quality-led and timely solutions from early and late phase pharmaceutical development, commercial drug product manufacture, product launch, commercial packaging through to global storage & distribution.

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac announces commitment to be net zero by 2045

brendanhagan — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Almac also announces 2030 emissions target – a part of its ongoing environmental strategy 

The Almac Group has today pledged to be net zero by 2045. Today’s announcement also includes the commitment to reduce the Group’s Scope one and Scope two emissions by 50 percent, by 2030.

These commitments coincide with the release of Almac’s 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, which highlights the Group’s ongoing commitment to their people, the planet and the communities in which they operate.

Within the report, Almac details actions already taken to address energy use, including the accreditation of UK and Ireland sites to the international standard for Energy Management, ISO 50001. A future commitment was also made to roll it out to US and APAC sites in the coming years.

The company has also included a commitment in the report that all new building projects at Almac Group campuses globally will be designed and constructed to Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) standards (or appropriate global equivalent).

“I am hugely encouraged by the progress that we have made this year as detailed in this report and very proud of the environmental commitments that we announce today.” said Niall Harkin, Almac Executive Director.  

“Almac is proud to publish our annual Corporate Social responsibility report for 2022, which details our commitment to our people, our planet, and the communities in which we operate. The report outlines excellent progress in these focus areas, and looking forward, we will continue to introduce new initiatives to deliver our future ambitions.” said Alan Armstrong, CEO. 

About Almac Group

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, analytical services, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Chemistry 2022 Winner Announced

davidkane — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:00:00 +0000

The Almac Group, has announced that Alex Olsen, from Portadown, is this year’s recipient of the ‘Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry.’

Alex, a MChem Chemistrystudent who has begun a year-long industrial placement in Almac Sciences’ Process Development Chemistry group, received his award and a £1,500 bursary towards his tuition fees from Dr Stephen Barr, Managing Director and President, Almac Sciences & Almac Discovery.

Stephen said: “Pursuing a career in science provides graduate Chemists and Chemical Engineers the opportunity and potential to use their skills, knowledge and talent to make a real difference in advancing human health across the world.

“I am pleased to present the Almac McKervey Award to Alex in memory of our esteemed colleague and friend, Tony, whose commendable leadership and kind manner inspired many of us during his long service with Almac.

“Many congratulations to Alex who has demonstrated exemplary performance and commitment throughout his degree to date. I hope, that in receiving this recognition today, he will progress to a long and rewarding career in chemistry.”

Alex said: “I am honoured to receive this year’s Almac McKervey Award dedicated to the inspiring Tony McKervey. My experience with Almac began with a work shadow placement in 2018 organised by Dr Frances Weldon for Sciences and Discovery business units. I am thrilled to be here at Almac and am already enjoying the new chemistry I’m being shown by my co-workers. I know the experience I will receive over this year-long placement will be invaluable to my career in chemistry.”

Alex’s name was added to the perpetual commemorative wall plaque at the David Keir building at Queen’s – a replica of which is displayed at Almac’s global headquarter facility in Craigavon.

The Almac McKervey award was established in 2018 as a commemoration to the life and work of one of Ireland’s most distinguished scientists, Professor Tony McKervey, who passed away in June 2017. A former Professor of Organic Chemistry at both University College Cork and Queen’s University Belfast, Tony founded Almac’s Sciences business unit in 1992 and continued to support Almac as a member of the Sciences’ senior management team until his death at the age of 78.

Professor McKervey was an esteemed academic and an industry expert, having received the ASTRA Award of the Royal Dublin Society in 1986 and the Boyle-Higgins Gold Medal of the Institute of Chemistry of Ireland in 1993. He also authored over 270 published research papers in world-renowned journals.

The ‘Almac McKervey Award’, which is open to students studying Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s, is presented each year to the top applicant, selected on both their academic achievement and performance at an interview with Almac’s chemistry experts.

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The international company is a privately owned organisation which has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 6,000 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Announces New COO and Appoints New Almac Pharma Services MD

davidkane — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0000

The Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has announced the appointment of Graeme McBurney to the Board of Directors in the role of Chief Operating Officer effective 1st October 2022.

Graeme has over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He joined the Almac Group in 1990 and has held a number of operational and management positions, most recently as Managing Director and President of Almac Pharma Services since 2003.

In his new role, Graeme will be responsible for implementing operations aligned with long term business goals and the Group’s strategies. He will oversee operations of the Group and work with Almac Executives to secure the functionality of the business to drive continued growth.

Almac has also announced today that John McQuaid will succeed Graeme as Managing Director and President of Almac Pharma Services, which provides a range of pharmaceutical development, manufacture and commercial services. John will now be responsible for overall strategic, operational and financial leadership of the Almac Pharma Services business.

John has been with Almac since 1994 and has held a number of management roles including project management, production and quality. He was appointed Vice President of Technical Operations in 2011 where he was responsible for overseeing the strategic growth and development of the Pharmaceutical Development service offering within Almac Pharma Services.

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Graeme to the Board at this exciting time as we progress our global growth strategy. His wealth of experience and expertise will be instrumental in supporting our vision and congratulations to John on his new role as he leads Almac Pharma Services.”

Graeme commented: “I am honoured to join the Almac Group Board of Directors and look forward to the next phase of Almac’s evolution as we remain focused on our client relationships and the continued strategic growth of the Group. I also congratulate John on his promotion to MD of Almac Pharma Services. Having worked alongside John for many years, I am confident his technical knowledge and expertise coupled with strategic management experience is the perfect blend to lead and evolve the business.”

This announcement comes just months after the Group announced a £200m global expansion having recorded a £58m (8.6%) rise in turnover from £677m in 2020 to £735m in 2021 and a 5.8% increase in the Group’s average employee figures from 5,466 to 5,783 from October 2020 to September 2021.

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

About Almac Pharma Services

Tailormade pharmaceutical development and commercial solutions

With over 50 years’ experience, Almac Pharma Services is a world leading outsourcing partner to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.

With facilities located in Europe and the US, we provide tailored, quality-led and timely solutions from early and late phase pharmaceutical development, commercial drug product manufacture, commercial packaging through to global storage & distribution.

The post Almac Group Announces New COO and Appoints New Almac Pharma Services MD appeared first on Almac.

Almac announces Business in the Community membership

davidkane — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000

The Almac Group has joined Business in the Community, Northern Ireland’s Responsible Business Network. Today’s announcement was marked by a visit from Kieran Harding, Managing Director, Lisa McIlvenna, Deputy MD, and Gareth Williamson, Relationship Manager, to Almac’s Global Headquarters in Craigavon.

Joining Business in the Community highlights Almac’s continued commitment to long-term corporate sustainability. Fostering and promoting policies and procedures across the company which support the health and well-being of over 6,500 employees across the globe, as well as creating sustainability in those communities, has always been of utmost importance to Almac.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group CEO, said: “Almac’s overarching mission is to “Advance Human Health.” This is the driving force behind everything we do as an organisation.

“Businesses here have an important role to play in making Northern Ireland a better place to work and live, by fostering and promoting practices that support the health and wellbeing of employees contributing directly to the sustainability of the local community.

“Not only do we believe that this is the right thing to do, but it’s what helps to make The Almac Group a good neighbour, the best employer, and a strong commercial partner.

“We know that our vision and goals are shared by Business in the Community. This membership gives us an opportunity to support Business in the Community’s sustainability programmes and initiatives. We look forward to working with them as we continue to have a positive corporate impact on the planet, our people and the wider community.”

BITC attendees were given a tour of the Almac campus and buildings, providing them with an in-depth understanding of Almac’s business activities and future plans for the Craigavon Headquarters.

Kieran Harding, Managing Director, Business in the Community NI said: “We are delighted to welcome Almac into membership, understanding the significant impact they have made over the last 50 years. Our members recognise the huge benefits that come from managing their businesses in a responsible and sustainable way, and we look forward to working with Almac Group and supporting them as they continue their responsible business journey.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

The international company is a privately owned organisation which has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 6,500 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the USA and Asia. To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Almac announces Business in the Community membership appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group’s Dundalk Site Achieves Globally Recognised Health & Safety and Environmental Management System Certifications

allie — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 13:17:58 +0000

A key advancement in Almac’s global Corporate Social Responsibility strategy

Almac’s European Campus in Dundalk has today been recommended for full certification to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) standards 45001 and 14001 after a full UKAS Accredited audit of the Integrated Management System (IMS).

ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organisation that produces standards to support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges. The standards achieved are globally recognised for Operational Health & Safety and Environmental Management.

The integrated framework provides all managers and employees with guidance and support regarding the management of HSE, from identifying and handling risks to evaluating and continuously improving processes and is continually updated and improved through regular assessments, reviews and internal audits. The certification of our European Campus is part of Almac’s ongoing strategy to roll out ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 certification across the group’s global sites with an ambition to certify Singapore in 2023 and begin the process for our US sites in 2024.

Almac Group opened the Dundalk facility in 2017, as part of its ongoing global expansion strategy to meet client demand. The site is complementary to the group’s existing clinical supply and drug product development operations offered from its global headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

Niall Harkin, Executive Director, Almac Group says: “Almac Group is committed to operating as a responsible business and being a good corporate neighbour across all our sites globally. We are therefore dedicated to implementing the highest standards in sustainability, health and safety into our business. Thank you to everyone involved in our success, including all my colleagues at the Dundalk site, and the Global HSE team who supported the preparations and execution.”

###

About Almac Group

Our innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 6,500 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

We have a global reputation for excellence built over 50 years of client service, delivering expertise right across the drug development lifecycle and offering a tailored solution to each of our clients.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Group’s Dundalk Site Achieves Globally Recognised Health & Safety and Environmental Management System Certifications appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Announces $65M Expansion of North American Headquarters in Pennsylvania

brendanhagan — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Capital plan will increase U.S. clinical supply capacity by 60% upon completion in 2024

Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, today announces a $65 million, 100,000 ft²expansion of clinical supply operations at the company’s North American headquarters in Souderton, PA. The capital investment plan increases clinical capacity at the facility by 60%, with additional cold and ultra-low storage and just-in-time processing capabilities which is forecasted to support the industry trend towards biologics and advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs).

Almac’s expansion will break ground in early 2023 and upon completion, will bring the company’s North American headquarters footprint to a total of 340,000 ft². Capacity will increase specifically in the following areas:

200% increase in 2-8°C Storage:
140% increase in 2-8°C Packaging
100% increase in 20°C Packaging
30% increase in 15-25°C Storage
115% increase in Ultra-Low Storage
100% increase in Just-In-Time Manufacturing

This investment enables Almac to better support the North American market – Robert Dunlop, President and Managing Director, Almac Clinical Services, commented: “Drug development and clinical trials continue to evolve across the world, with sponsors expanding their pipelines to focus on biologics, vaccines and advanced therapy medicinal products. Almac is at the forefront of building supply chain expertise and capacity for this evolution. We are committed to investing in our clients’ future challenges and are delighted that this expansion provides us with a stronger ability to service our growing customer base.”

The North American Headquarters expansion comes on the heels of the company’s July announcement that the overall planned investment in Pennsylvania operations and facilities will total $93.5 million over the next three years and will total over $250 million for the Group globally during the same period.

The company has committed to creating 355 new Montgomery County-based jobs to support the forecasted growth and is actively recruiting for positions across disciplines and experience levels.

Acting Secretary of Economic and Community Development Neil Weaver today visited Almac’s North American headquarters to mark the next chapter of growth for the company and local community.

“It’s a thrill to be here today to see first-hand what Almac has planned for their expansion, and I’m glad that DCED and the Wolf Administration could assist with these plans and invest in this project,” said Weaver. “This project is bringing good paying jobs to the region and shows what Pennsylvania has to offer to companies, especially in the life sciences. This state, and this area, continues to be a worldwide leader in the biotech and life sciences industries.

The post Almac Group Announces $65M Expansion of North American Headquarters in Pennsylvania appeared first on Almac.

Almac Pharma Services Opens Applications for Trainee Production Operator Programme

allie — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 09:32:22 +0000

Applications are open to anyone with A-Levels or an equivalent level 3 standard qualification, including students expecting to receive grades in August.

Almac Pharma Services is recruiting ten Trainee Production Operators within its Packaging Operations team at the company’s global headquarters in Craigavon.

Almac’s Trainee Production Operator programme, now in its second year, give applicants the opportunity to develop their career and progress through various roles within the leading global company.

Applications are open to anyone who is qualified to A-Level or an equivalent level 3 standard qualification, including students expecting to receive grades in August.

The successful candidates will be supported by Senior Operators and the Operations Management team through a mentoring and training programme, to identify how best to put their unique skills to use. The programme aims to enhance the trainee Operators’ capabilities and assist them to truly shine in their career at Almac.

An information day will be held at 2pm, 4pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday 24th August at the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown to give prospective applicants the opportunity to hear more about the roles and speak to Managers and current Trainee Production Operators. HR representatives will also be on hand to provide advice on completing the application form and to discuss the benefits included in the programme.

Mark English, VP Packaging and Logistics Operations at Almac Pharma Services, said: “We are pleased to be recruiting for STEM roles that would be suited to school leavers or young adults who have the relevant A-Levels or BTECs.

“At Almac, we are passionate about mentoring our junior employees to highlight the possibilities that come with their skillset and develop those skills to unlock their potential, career progression and growth. We look forward to welcoming new colleagues to help us advance human health together.”

Ben Armstrong, Trainee Production Operator at Almac Pharma Services, said: “The Trainee Operator programme has helped me adjust into a fulltime working environment after just leaving school. Working on the production floor has given me a greater insight into how the company works.

“My colleagues have been very helpful in my first six months in the role, from Operators through to Senior Managers.”

For details on the information session, job specification or to make an application ahead of the deadline on 29^th August. please visit: https://almac-group.rezoomo.com/job/34669/

###

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions.

The international company is a privately owned organisation which has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 6,00 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac’s Higher Level Apprentices shortlisted for WorldSkills UK National Competition

davidkane — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 10:57:59 +0000

Three of Almac’s Chemical Sciences Higher Level Apprentices (HLAs) have been named as finalists in this year’s World Skills UK national competition.

Abbi Magill and Anastasiya Kovtun from our Sciences’ business unit and Wiktoria Kurkowska who works within Pharma Services are currently completing their HLA programme through Almac’s partnership with Southern Regional College which provides a range of apprenticeship programmes for students interested in a career at Almac.

They are among 500 finalists who will be competing for gold, silver and bronze at the competitions taking place across the UK in November – those who are successful will then have the opportunity to represent the UK at the “Skills Olympics” in France in 2024.

World Skills UK is an independent charity which partners with employers, education and government and is a member of the global body, WorldSkills, created to support young people via competitions-based training, assessment and benchmarking.

Tanya Graham, Sciences’ Head of Analytical Services, said: “Congratulations Abbi, Wiktoria and Anastasiya on getting this far in the WorldSkills UK development programme. We are really proud of your achievement and wish you all the best at the upcoming finals.”

“Almac’s apprenticeship programmes enable students to develop the technical knowledge and skills they need to support projects at different stages in drug development. The support and mentorship we offer our apprentices, as well as the opportunity to take part in competitions like WorldSkills, really helps our apprentices develop valuable interpersonal skills and grow in confidence in their respective roles.

“Our partnership with Southern Regional College has created 52 apprenticeship jobs, over three quarters of whom are still working with us and we are exploring additional opportunities with the aim of training over 100 apprentices by 2025.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

The figures quoted in this announcement relate to the financial period 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021. Employee numbers recorded in the results relates to the average figures during that financial year.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group to Create 355 Jobs and Invest $93.5 Million in Pennsylvania Expansion

davidkane — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, announces today that the company is expanding its North American headquarters in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and will create 355 new jobs through the project.

Almac Group’s expansion in Pennsylvania will add 100,000 square feet to their existing 246,000-square-foot North American headquarters facility, as well as upgrades at the company’s two other Montgomery County sites, to meet increased and next generation client demand.

The company has operated in Pennsylvania for more than 20 years and officially opened a North American headquarters site in Souderton, Pennsylvania in 2011.

“We are delighted to mark this next milestone of our future in Pennsylvania,” said Alan Armstrong, Almac Group Chairman and Chief Executive. “We look forward to welcoming over 350 new employees, who will be an essential part of our continued success over the next three years. Almac Group’s mission is to advance human health and we are committed to re-investing all of our profits back into the business to ensure we are market leading for our clients and patients and offer the best possible work environment for our people.”

The company received a funding proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for a $1.775 million Pennsylvania First grant and a $250,000 workforce development (WEDnet) grant and were encouraged to apply for the department’s Manufacturing Tax Credit (MTC) and Research and Development Tax Credit (R&D) programs. Almac Group has committed to creating at least 355 new jobs, retaining 1,434 existing jobs and investing approximately $93.5 million into the project within the next three years.

This project is the second of Almac Group’s expansion projects under current Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, the first of which was announced in November 2016. Both projects were coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team (GAT), an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

“It’s truly a testament to what our commonwealth has to offer, when an internationally successful company like the Almac Group chooses to expand its North American headquarters here in Pennsylvania,” said Gov. Wolf. “This is the company’s second expansion during my administration, and I think our pro-business climate has a great deal to do with that. Pennsylvania is a great choice for companies looking to set up shop or businesses already located here who want to grow and thrive for years to come.”

“Almac’s exciting new phase of growth in Montgomery County is a testament to the excellent workforce and exceptional quality of life our communities offer,” said David Zellers, Jr., Director of Commerce, Montgomery Count Commerce Department.

Almac Group is a global company based in Northern Ireland that is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to vulnerable patients around the world. During this financial year, the group was a partner of choice in the development of over 300 life-saving drugs spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiology, immunology, gene therapy and neurology.

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Almac Group & Indian Valley Education Foundation Cut Opening Ribbon on Student Careers Experience Center at Souderton Area High School

allie — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Almac Group today announces the official dedication of an innovative student careers space at Souderton Area High School, marking the culmination of a three-year, innovative community-based partnership between Almac Group, Indian Valley Education Foundation, and Souderton Area School District.

As the cornerstone of the partnership, a portion of the Souderton Area High School library has been remodeled into a “Career & Collaboration Corner” through Almac’s financial support, outfitted with new furnishings and technology to foster collaboration, small group opportunities, and speakers. In addition, Almac also sponsored a hands-on careers exploration experience with students, enabling students to: visit the company’s North American headquarters in Souderton; film, edit, and produce video interviews featuring Almac employees and their firsthand career experiences; and create a digital tool for their peers that maps Almac’s career opportunities to the school’s Pathway 360°program.

Ribbon cutting festivities included remarks from Valarie Higgins, President & Managing Director, Almac Clinical Technologies; RuthE Potter, Executive Director, Indian Valley Education Foundation; school administration; and six students who presented the digital career path tool to the audience.

Remarks were followed by the Office of Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, presenting a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in commemoration of the public-private educational partnership.

Almac Group is a leading employer in the Indian Valley and is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to vulnerable patients around the world. The privately owned company re-invests all profits back into its business and this week announced a $250 million global capital investment plan to meet increased client demand over the next three years, including in North America.

“It is an essential part of our culture and purpose as an organization to invest in the next generation of scientists, engineers and technologists who will continue our mission to advance human health. We are thrilled that Souderton Area High School’s goal to expand and adapt the library into an innovative space for students was achievable through Almac’s sponsorship,” Valarie Higgins, President & Managing Director, Almac Clinical Technologies, said.

“To the students—as a leading employer in the Indian Valley, we have been honored by the opportunity to work with you and share more about what careers are possible in your own backyard. You truly represent the future of our community.”

RuthE Potter, CEFL, Executive Director IVEF said, “We are most proud to see that our students leave the Souderton Area School District prepared to navigate in the world as informed, well-educated, respectful human beings. While those skills are developed within the walls of our schools, they are reinforced through the interactions and opportunities they have with our community partners.”

“Almac has stepped forth to bring their resources and commitment to our school district in a unique and impactful way. We hope this will light a spark with other area businesses to consider their role in positively supporting public education. Creating tomorrow’s workforce begins today.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group records highest ever revenue, profit and employee numbers as £200 million global expansion plans announced

davidkane — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has today (Tuesday 14^th June) reported its highest ever end-of-year results for revenue, profit, and employee numbers.

In their financial results for year ending 30 September 2021, Almac recorded a £58 million (8.6%) rise in turnover from £677 million in 2020 to £735 million in 2021. Pre-tax profits were recorded at £81 million, up from £64 million (27.1% increase) for the same period the previous year.

The report also detailed an increase in Almac’s average employee figures from 5,466 to 5,783 (5.8%) during the period of October 2020 to September 2021. Current employee numbers for the Group now sits at over 6,500 and a current global recruitment drive will increase the total number to over 8,000 over the next three years, with over 1,000 of these new roles planned for Northern Ireland.

Privately owned Almac is committed to re-investing all profits back into its business and today announces a £200 million global capital investment plan to meet increased client demand over the next three years.

Investment will take place in existing Almac locations in Northern Ireland, other sites in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia.

Almac is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to vulnerable patients around the world. During this financial year the group was involved in the development of over 300 life-saving drugs spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiology, immunology, gene therapy and neurology. Almac was also instrumental in supporting over 200 research projects for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group CEO, said: “I am hugely proud of our achievements in the last financial year. I am incredibly grateful to every one of our employees for their part in delivering these outstanding results as we continue our vital work developing life-saving and life-enhancing medicines for our clients and patients.

“Almac is committed to re-investing all our profit back into the business to ensure we are market leading for clients and offer the best possible work environment for our people.

“For our clients, we are investing £200 million on expansion to ensure we remain the global leaders in our industry and give them, and ultimately patients across the world who receive benefit from these therapeutics, the best possible offering from Almac.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group launches fully funded degree apprenticeship programme Almac Accelerate

davidkane — Fri, 27 May 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Almac Group has launched its new degree apprenticeship programme, Almac Accelerate, in partnership with Ulster University which will begin in September 2022.

The ‘earn as you learn’ three-year programme aims to kickstart an exceptional career in Almac for four successful candidates. Almac Accelerate combines a fully funded BSc. Honours Degree in Leading on Customer Operations and paid work experience within either Almac Clinical Services’ Project Management or Procurement teams at the company’s global headquarters in Craigavon.

The application process is now live and is open to students with, or who are about to qualify with, a Level 3 qualification. The four available places are funded by the Department for Economy’s Higher Level Apprenticeship programme.

As with Almac’s other award-winning Higher-Level Apprenticeship programmes, this new initiative includes a structured programme of tailored on-the-job training and mentorship to support and guide the apprentices throughout their studies. Almac Accelerate will give students an opportunity to secure a permanent position in the company upon award of their degree and a clear career path into more senior roles across the company.

In addition to a debt-free degree, the successful candidates will also receive an attractive benefits package including a competitive salary, flexible working patterns, annual bonuses and employer pension contributions.

Kelly Neill, Head of Project Services at Almac Clinical Services, said: “Through Almac Accelerate we’re eager to support young adults in developing their business skills and experience, while working towards a very practical degree with truly applicable modules for the workplace.

“With the ever-increasing costs of third level education and the struggle to get hands-on experience, degree apprenticeships are a win-win for both the students and Almac.

“Sir Allen McClay was a huge advocate of supporting jobs in the local community and this apprentice program is a continuation of his legacy. This year will be the start of what we expect to be a hugely successful program that will grow year on year, securing the talent that Almac needs to allow us to continue to excel in the future.”

Ruth Mercer, Course Director at Ulster University Business School said:“We are very excited to partner with Almac to offer this pioneering Degree Apprenticeship. The delivery of customer operations globally is evolving rapidly, and the part-time BSc (Hons) Leading on Customer Operations programme has been designed to equip employers with the next generation of customer-centric leaders.

“Apprentices will benefit from the innovative and job-relevant applied learning, and a rewarding career path. Strategic partnerships, like this, between academia and industry, will continue to play an instrumental role in ensuring the workforce is equipped with the skills of the future. This investment from Almac signals their commitment to creating a diverse talent pool and we’re delighted to support that ambition.”

Advance, Achieve and Accelerate with Almac. To apply, please visit https://almac-group.rezoomo.com/job/31782/

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Celebrates Earth Day with Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties

evewallace — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Almac to support and participate in “Rock the Block” Community Clean Up Events

Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organization, is proud to celebrate this year’s observance of Earth Month and support the local community by participating in a key sustainability initiative of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties (MontDelco), Rock the Block 2022.

Habitat for Humanity of MontDelco’s signature “Rock the Block” community clean up events are timed this year to observe and celebrate Earth Day. Citing issues such as combating air pollution and heat-related deaths, as well as improving youth educational performance, mental and physical health and social connections, Habitat for Humanity of MontDelco’s Rock the Block events will also launch the organization’s commitment to plant 500 trees in key revitalization zones by the end of 2022.

Rock the Block is an extension of Habitat for Humanity of MontDelco’s neighborhood revitalization efforts, which work holistically with communities to stabilize neighborhoods, and improve residents’ safety and quality of life.

Niall Harkin, Executive Director at Almac Group, said: “Almac proudly shares Habitat for Humanity of MontDelCo’s commitment to sustainability and building healthier communities. We are honored to play a role in making this year’s Rock the Block event a success, and are proud of our Almac colleagues who have volunteered their time to support the community. We also want to take this opportunity to commend Habitat for Humanity of MontDelco on their inspiring goal to plant 500 trees across Montgomery and Delaware counties this year.”

“Our mission at Almac is to ‘advance human health,’ and therefore, fostering and promoting practices within the business that support the health and sustainability of the communities in which we operate is of utmost importance. We believe that this is not just the right thing to do, but it is also what helps to make Almac Group a good neighbor, the best employer and a strong commercial partner.”

#ENDS#

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Galen expands product portfolio with GelX® Oral Spray

evewallace — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Galen, a global pharmaceutical company, and part of the Almac Group headquartered in Craigavon, has announced a new partnership with Sunstar Suisse S.A. to exclusively distribute and commercialise GelX^® Oral Spray in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

GelX^® OralSpray is a product designed to treat Oral Mucositis (OM), a painful inflammation of the lining of the mouth and throat often caused by radiation and chemotherapy cancer treatments.¹ OM increases the likelihood of infection and puts severely immunocompromised patients at risk of sepsis and septicemia.² The collaboration with Galen will ensure that this oncology supportive care product is readily available in a hospital setting for direct use by clinicians to improve the quality of life of their patients.

Galen, which has successfully launched over 100 products in more than 25 locations across the world in a range of areas including medical nutrition, pain management, dermatology and gastroenterology, has developed a global expansion strategy of its product portfolio. This partnership extends the company’s UK and Ireland offering to more treatment areas, providing Galen with a growing hospital portfolio which now includes oncology supportive care as well as respiratory disease and Emergency Medicine.

Galen’s Managing Director and President, Dr Dennise Broderick, said: “Galen is recognised as a partner of choice for specialty pharma companies to launch and promote their products within the UK, Ireland, Europe, US and other global regions.”

“We continually invest in building a portfolio of innovative branded products with global potential in existing and new markets. This new partnership with Sunstar Suisse S.A. to supply GelX^® Oral Spray, along with the recent announcement of our distribution agreement for Provocholine^® (methacholine chloride) are evidence of our ongoing commercial success and expertise.”

#ENDS#

References

GelX^® Oral Spray package leaflet January 2020.
Al-Dasooqi N. et al. Emerging evidence on the pathobiology of mucositis. Support Care Cancer. 2013 21:2075-2083.

About Galen

Established in 1968, Galen is a privately owned pharmaceutical sales and marketing company, headquartered in Craigavon (Northern Ireland), with products in therapy areas including medical nutrition, gastroenterology, pain management and dermatology.

Through organic growth and acquisitions, we have established product sales in 25 locations.

About Almac Group

Galen is a member of the Almac Group. The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across, and beyond, the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades and now employs over 6,000 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

For further information please visit almacgroup.com.

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Galen expands product portfolio with Provocholine® (methacholine chloride)

davidkane — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 11:44:28 +0000

Galen, a global pharmaceutical company, and part of the Almac Group headquartered in Craigavon, has acquired the rights to Provocholine^® 100 mg Powder for nebuliser solution (methacholine chloride), manufactured by Methapharm Specialty Pharmaceuticals of Canada, to exclusively distribute and commercialise this product in the United Kingdom.

Methacholine chloride 100 mg Powder for nebuliser solution is used by healthcare specialists in patients aged 17 and over to detect bronchial airway hyperreactivity, to assist in the diagnosis of asthma.¹ Approximately 5.4 million people in the UK receive treatment for asthma² which equates to over £1bn being spent annually on treatment and care.³ Approximately one third of these patients are reported to have been misdiagnosed.⁴ Using methacholine chloride 100 mg Powder for nebuliser solution in direct challenge testing could eliminate a misdiagnosis.

Galen, which has successfully launched over 100 products in more than 25 locations across the world in a range of areas including medical nutrition, pain management, dermatology and gastroenterology, has developed a global expansion strategy of its product portfolio. This partnership extends the company’s UK offering to more treatment areas, now including respiratory disease.

“This new partnership with Methapharm to supply Provocholine^®highlights our commitment to continually invest in building a portfolio of innovative branded products with global potential in existing and new markets.”

Chris Calenti, Executive Vice Presidentof Methapharm stated “We are delighted to confirm our new distribution partnership with Galen which extends Provocholine^® availability in the UK”.

#ENDS#

References

Provocholine 100 mg Powder for nebuliser solution (methacholine chloride), UK Summary of Product Characteristics. August 2020. https://mhraproducts4853.blob.core.windows.net/docs/9b1847f453148fd7dc52b3a0d1c1a5905c09a037.
Asthma UK, Slipping through the net: The reality facing patients with difficult and severe asthma, July 2018. https://www.asthma.org.uk/support-us/campaigns/publications/difficult-and-severe-asthma-report/#:~:text=Of%20the%205.4%20million%20people,and%20bespoke%20support%20and%20treatments
Asthma UK, Asthma UK study estimates that asthma care costs at least £1.1bn per year, August 2016. https://www.asthma.org.uk/about/media/news/asthma-uk-study-1.1bn
Kavanagh J. et al. Over- and under-diagnosis in asthma. Breathe (Sheff). 2019 Mar;15(1)e20-e27. https://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/15/1/e20.

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Almac supports Belfast Telegraph Business Awards Category – ‘Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility’

davidkane — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 09:39:00 +0000

Almac Group is at the forefront of developing, manufacturing, testing and distributing essential medicines to vulnerable patients around the world.

Headquartered in Craigavon, Almac employs over 6,000 highly skilled personnel in 19 facilities across the globe including Europe, the US and Asia, over 3,600 of whom are in Northern Ireland.

Sustainability and protecting our employees, clients and communities is central to Almac Group’s ethos. We are committed to being good global neighbours by reducing our own environmental footprint and through the development of green technology to ensure that together with our clients, we achieve a low-carbon future.

Niall Harkin, Executive Director at Almac, said: “Almac Group’s overarching mission is to “Advance Human Health.” This is the driving force behind everything we do as an organisation. Fostering and promoting practices within the business that support the health and wellbeing of our employees and the sustainability of the communities in which we operate is of utmost importance. We believe that this is not just the right thing to do, but it is also what helps to make Almac Group a good neighbour, the best employer and a strong commercial partner.

“Our focus on supporting the health and wellbeing of our local communities has been especially important during the global pandemic. During the pandemic Almac has been instrumental in providing support to over 200 separate research projects for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments through a range of our service areas within very tight timeframes.

“Also during the same period we were honoured to partner with 33 charitable organisations, chosen by our employees, to financially support the health and welfare of our neighbours in each of our corporate locations and beyond.

“Being the best employer in Northern Ireland and across our 19 global locations is an extremely important aspiration to Almac and we are proud to have recently been named Best Apprentice Employer of the Year within our area. We are committed to the personal and professional development of each employee, from our higher level apprentices to operations, senior staff and management level roles, up to and including senior director level.

Niall continued: “We are pleased to support the CSR category at this year’s Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, to reward a company which has made a significant, positive impact through its involvement in a specific programme or initiative designed to make a demonstrable difference to the community.

“Particularly throughout the last two years, there is no doubt we have all developed a deeper appreciation of and commitment to the communities in which we live and work. I can imagine there will be a great number of strong entries showcasing that drive.”

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Almac Celebrates International Women’s Day

lorrainemcclay — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Almac is marking International Women’s Day by celebrating the significant contribution that women make to the global firm at all levels and through all disciplines.

Dr. Sue Bill, Almac’s Global VP of Human Resources, explains: “The roles we fulfil range from higher level apprentices, through senior staff and management level roles, up to and including Executive positions across a wide range of disciplines including Operations, Project Management, IT, Sciences and Quality .

“As females we are thriving in an environment that supports diversity and hires the best person for the job whilst at the same time offering flexibility in how we work and career progression in what we do. It is an exciting time for Almac with the global growth we continue to experience, and I would encourage women to see what we have on offer.

“With over 600 positions open for application, across 266 different job roles, predominantly at our HQ in Craigavon, including 20 positions in the North West, the opportunities for personal and professional development within the company are extensive. Currently making up nearly 50% of our total workforce, it would be great to see more women enter our employment, to share in the experiences that many of us are already benefitting from, as we support our mission to advance human health.”

ENDS

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Almac scoops the prize for Best Apprentice Employer of the Year at ABC Business Awards

davidkane — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 16:31:03 +0000

Almac Group has been named Best Apprentice Employer of the Year at the recent Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Business Awards.

This award recognises our ongoing commitment to the growth and development of our apprentices and the contribution and success that apprenticeships have brought to the company.

Almac Group has a long and consistent track record of recruiting apprentices, helping them to develop their knowledge and skills while contributing to our business through theoretical and work-based learning.

Almac’s partnership with SRC since 2016 has created 52 apprenticeship jobs, 39 of whom are still working for the company. 13 higher level apprentices were recruited in 2021, almost twice the number of 2020. Our vision is that within the next three years, Almac will have trained over 100 apprentices in collaboration with the SRC.

Kevin Reid, Global Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development for Almac Group said: “The judges told us we won because our apprenticeship programme is clearly central to the future growth and development of the overall company. They recognised Almac’s significant, long-term investment in time and effort to ensure that not only do our apprentices develop their skills, but that they also thrive within the business.

“We are delighted to win this award and congratulations to everyone across the business who contributes to the success of our award winning apprenticeship programme, enabling us to be exceptional together.”

#ENDS#

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Full STEAM ahead for Almac Group’s Primary School Science Initiative

davidkane — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Almac Group has partnered with STEAM Education Limited to give Primary 7 children across Northern Ireland access to “Science in a Box”, a fun and engaging curriculum-linked science programme.

Almac is distributing 24 of these boxes, valued at £500 each to 12 schools in 2022 and will continue the initiative each year covering different primary schools. Almac hopes that 50 schools and approximately 3,000 children will participate in the programme over the next 3 years.

This new initiative is part of Almac’s mission to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists by helping children to learn vital science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) skills, sparking their natural curiosity about the world around them.

Dr Frances Weldon, STEM Outreach Manager for Almac Group said: “We are excited to launch this new initiative to deliver fun, interactive Biology-based programmes to P7 classes and support teachers in the delivery of the World Around Us curriculum. Over the course of five lessons, the children will learn about the building blocks of life, the human body and how it works.

“As well as increasing their scientific knowledge, this programme will also help to develop creativity, communication and critical-thinking skills. At Almac, we want to help children understand that STEAM can be fun and that there are so many diverse and fulfilling careers available to them, right here in Northern Ireland.”

Each of the schools will receive a Science-in-a-Box programme, along with a training webinar, resources and support from staff at Almac and STEAM Education Ltd.

STEAM Education Limited, the Cork-based company who supply the Science-in-a-Box programmes devised “Science in a Box” to teach a fun and engaging science program to children in primary school with new innovative materials.

Alice D’Arcy, Managing Director, STEAM Education Ltd said: “Supporting enhanced science education at primary level is critical to developing better career pathways for children in the STEAM sector. We are delighted to be working with Almac to support children to reach their potential, to enhance their awareness of amazing opportunities for STEM careers in the region, and most importantly to love learning science!”

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions.

The international company is a privately owned organisation which has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 6,000 highly skilled personnel across 19 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Actively recruiting in the North West

davidkane — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 09:00:00 +0000

Almac Group is actively recruiting to fill another 20 new posts across their Information Systems, Clinical Services and Clinical Technologies teams based at the company’s facility in Northland Road Business Park, Derry/Londonderry.

The new positions cover a mixture of project management, software engineering, clinical supply and design management positions at all levels. Experience of the pharmaceutical industry is not an essential requirement for these roles as full on-the-job training is provided.

Almac’s strategic expansion plan to develop its operations within the North West is well underway. The infrastructure is now in place, enabling the company to move to a new intensive phase of recruitment to fill these highly skilled job roles across three areas of the business.

Since the announcement in June 2021 to set up a facility in Derry/Londonderry, Almac has recruited 10 new employees covering a variety of roles including Project Group Managers and Clinical Supply Managers for Clinical Services’ Project Services department, Software Engineers for the Information Services team, and Software Developers with Clinical Technologies.

Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group, said: “These 20 new posts, alongside the ten that we have already filled mean that we are well on our way towards meeting our goal of recruiting 100 employees at our new location in the North West by the end of 2024.

“Almac is experiencing significant growth and filling these roles will bolster our ability to continue to support our many clients across the globe. We are proud to have our global Headquarters in Craigavon and we are very pleased that we now have an established base in Derry/Londonderry.”

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Alderman Graham Warke has welcomed news of additional new job opportunities locally with Almac. Encouraging applicants to avail of the opportunity to work with a global company of such a high calibre, Mayor Warke said Council was delighted to be working alongside Almac in its recruitment drive and was supportive of its efforts to expand its workforce to employ the pool of educated and skilled people in the city and district.

He said: “I am delighted at Almac’s success to date and excited at their level of ambition for growth for the future. It is great to see highly skilled job opportunities being made available and wish the company well in this latest recruitment drive. I look forward to seeing the company further expand and wish them continued success in our city and district.”

Almac is a global contract development and manufacturing organisation with over 6,000 employees located in 19 locations across the world, 3,600 of whom are based at its global Headquarter campus in Craigavon.

To find out more or to apply for a position, visit almacgroup.com/northwest-jobs

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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The College of Paramedics Opens Dr John Hinds Scholarship Call for Entries

allie — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 11:25:02 +0000

The College of Paramedics, in association with Galen, the privately-owned pharmaceutical sales and marketing company is pleased to announce that applications for this year’s Dr John Hinds Scholarship Award will open on Monday 31^st January 2022. The recipient will win a place on the much-coveted Anaesthesia Trauma and Critical Care (ATACC) course and have their case study published in the College of Paramedics’ magazine, ‘Paramedic INSIGHT’.

The recipient of the scholarship will take up a fully funded place on ATACC’S three-day course in the UK, widely accepted as the most advanced trauma course currently available in the world. Associated travel costs will also be covered. Entrants are required to write a case study which should be written to protect patient confidentiality, using original text, and with all appropriate references included. It must be countersigned by a paramedic colleague who is prepared to confirm that your submission is a genuine case study.

This scholarship is presented in memory of the late Dr John Hinds, who was regarded as an inspirational leader by paramedics and emergency medical technicians and indeed by anyone with an interest in pre-hospital care within Ireland. A world-renowned critical care physician, Dr Hinds gave a huge amount of his own time to educating and supporting paramedics and ambulance staff throughout the Island of Ireland. He died in 2015 following a motorcycle accident.

Dr Dennise Broderick, Managing Director & President, Galen, said: “This award is not only a fitting and lasting tribute to Dr Hinds, but it also provides a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals to advance their expertise and gain access to a globally recognised, highly coveted training programme. Dr Hinds was a pioneering leader in the field of emergency trauma care who dedicated his life to helping others and Galen is extremely proud to support this annual scholarship programme in his honour.”

Imogen Carter, Executive Officer for Policy Development at the College of Paramedics said: “The College of Paramedics is proud to host this award in the name of Dr John Hinds, with Galen’s generous support. We look forward to receiving many high quality clinical case studies from responders across NI and ROI by the 21^st March, a closing date for all College awards, picked as a tribute to Dr Hinds on what would have been his birthday.”

Last year’s recipient, Edel Mullen of National Ambulance Service in Ireland commented: “There’s so much I can say about the ATACC course, I don’t even know where to begin.

“As a newly qualified paramedic, I felt I came away with so much. The knowledge and experiences I gained from ATACC would have taken me years to gain by myself working on the road. I was a part of a really amazing team (Team Orange). They were skilled, enthusiastic and so much fun. It really made for an exciting weekend.

“It was great to be around like-minded people who were so eager to share their knowledge and help you improve your practice.”

Submissions must be made using the Dr John Hinds Scholarship Award Entry Form – link and submitted via email to awards@collegeofparamedics.co.uk by 1200hrs on Monday 21^st March 2022. Submissions will only be accepted by applicants from Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. The College Honours and Awards Committee will then select the winning piece. Due to restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19, the recipient will be given more details of how the 2022 award will be presented, as soon as they are decided

Submissions should be 750–1,000 words, excluding references and appendices. As a condition of the award, the recipient will be required to submit their case study for publication in Paramedic INSIGHT magazine which has over 20,000 subscribers, along with a follow-up article that describes their experience on the ATACC course.

#END#

Notes to editors

About College of Paramedics

The College of Paramedics is the professional body for all paramedics in the UK, whose role is to promote and develop the paramedic profession across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Membership is open to all UK paramedics, student paramedics and anyone with an interest in the paramedic profession and healthcare delivery. All members, access to a wide variety of learning resources that provide high quality continuing professional development (CPD) across a range of platforms and also at many events held around the UK.

About Galen

The company plans to continue expanding its portfolio with selected specialty products on an international basis. By combining innovation in product development with competitive pricing, Galen aims to work in partnership with healthcare professionals and patients to create real, long-term value. Visit: www.galen-pharma.com

About Almac Group

Almac’s innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, analytical services, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture, product development and marketing.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades and now employs 6000 highly skilled personnel across 19 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

For further information please visit almacgroup.com.

About The ATACC Group

The ATACC Group is a medical and specialist led organisation principally driven by people with a background in health care, UK emergency services and associated professional industries. They are trusted providers of education and training courses to a wide variety of healthcare professionals and emergency care providers. In addition to education and training provision they offer medical oversight and clinical governance services to UK emergency services and emergency response teams.

For further information please visit https://www.ataccgroup.com

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Almac Group Reaffirms Commitment to Reducing Global Plastic Pollution

allie — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

About Almac Group

Almac holds “Engaged Member” Status with Acclaimed Sustainability Program

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 24 November 2021 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is proud to announce that the company has enhanced its engagement with the Responsible Plastics Management (RPM) Program, an internationally recognised, not-for-profit membership organisation set up by certificate and sustainability experts to tackle the plastic pollute crisis.

As an engaged member, Almac will receive direct guidance from RPM on potential performance improvement measures to implement across the organisation in the area of plastics management, as well as strategies for promoting the responsible use of plastics with employees and the greater community. RPM’s recommendations leverage over 20 years’ experience of auditing and managing ISO 14000 series Standards and ISO 17065 Product and Systems Certification, the international gold standards for sustainability.

Commented Niall Harkin, Executive Director, “The plastic problem, if left unresolved, is contributing to pollution in our oceans, hazards to wildlife and threatening our human health and water security. As a global business with a mission to advance human health, Almac Group takes our corporate social responsibility to minimise these risks very seriously. We look forward to leveraging the vast expertise of RPM to promote the reduction, re-use and recycling of plastics at our facilities and across our global supply chain.”

For more information on Almac’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, click here.

#ENDS#

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Almac Group to Create 1,800 New Jobs Globally

allie — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Significant investment drives expansion offering opportunities over next 3 years

Craigavon, N.I. – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is planning to recruit 1,800 new jobs across its global operations over the next three years.

These new jobs include operational, supervisory and managerial roles across its business and offers an exciting variety of opportunities for both graduates and experienced candidates alike. Positions are available immediately across 120 different job roles at its sites in the UK, Ireland, North America, Singapore, Japan and the Nordic region.

The company, which marked 50 years in business in 2018, is at the forefront of the development, manufacturing, testing and distribution of essential medicines to vulnerable patients across the globe. Over the past 18 months, Almac has been instrumental in providing support to over 140 separate crucial research projects for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments through a range of service areas.

Almac Group has experienced continued growth in revenue and employee numbers annually over the past 15 years and with significant investment in expansion projects planned over the next three years, the company will see its headcount rise to 8,000 across its 19 facilities globally. Earlier this year the Group reported £677.3 million turnover for its financial year 2019/20 – an increase of £43 million (6%) from the previous year.

With 100% of the Group’s profits reinvested into the business, Almac has already committed to a number of significant expansion and improvement projects across its sites. These new roles will support this ongoing investment.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group CEO, commented: “Almac’s mission is to “advance human health” and we are proud to be supporting so many global clients as they develop their life-saving treatment for patients in need.

He continued “As demand for our services steadily increases, our aim is to continue to grow our global team by actively recruiting 1,800 new individuals across a wide variety of diverse and exciting areas. These roles come with a range of benefits including flexible working, competitive salary and an annual bonus. Crucially this offers individuals the chance to help us continue our provision of solutions whilst making a real and positive contribution to health right across the world.”

To find out more, visit almacgroup.com/careers.

ENDS

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Almac Group Procurement Professionals Achieve Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) Designation

allie — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 5 October 2021 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to announce that six of the organisation’s employees from across the Group have achieved the prestigious Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) designation, after completing an intensive study and training programme delivered by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). The MCIPS distinction is an internationally recognised qualification that represents the global standard within the profession for procurement and supply professionals.

The programme was the only one of its kind in Northern Ireland and was tailored specifically to meet the complex requirements of the Group. The Almac cohort members began their journey towards this distinction in September 2018, beginning at “Practitioner” level, followed by an 18-month period at “Advanced Practitioner” level. During this time, cohort members participated in interactive workshops to bring views and opinions from across the supply chain, mastered practical assignments on concepts learned within the areas of Strategic Supply, Category Management and Contracting Excellence and completed live business projects which facilitated the implementation of measurable improvements directly into the Almac organisation.

Participants of this intensive program, who have graduated with professional qualification and the designation ‘MCIPS’ are:

• Aidan Reynolds

• Michael Rainey

• Peter Livingstone

• Linda Tug

• Deborah Thompson

• Andrew Hughes

Support from Almac and Invest Northern Ireland made this cohort of the Chartered Advanced Practitioner Programme possible. In addition to the six Almac participants, a participant from Northern Ireland Water also joined the cohort, making it viable for the programme to be delivered locally in Northern Ireland.

Commenting Thomas Crawford, Group Head of Procurement, Almac Group, said “Almac fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement and it is therefore always a priority for us to seek avenues to develop our employees professionally. We are delighted that, with the support of Invest Northern Ireland, we have supported the development of our Procurement team through the pursuit of the internationally recognised award that represents the global standard for procurement professionals. After three rigorous years of study, we congratulate our Graduates on a job well done and look forward to the improvements they will promote within our organisation.”

#ENDS#

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Apex Friendship Graduate Receives Inaugural $50,000 Scholarship from Almac Group

davidkane — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Scholarship established in partnership with Triangle Community Foundation to support next generation

Durham, North Carolina – 2 September 2021 – Almac Group is delighted to announce that Khadeeja Ali Syeda, a 2021 graduate of Apex Friendship High School, has been selected as the recipient of the inaugural Almac Group Scholarship, and will receive $50,000 over the next four years.

After an independent review by Triangle Community Foundation’s seasoned scholarship committee, Khadeeja was named this year’s recipient due to her impressive academic performance and involvement in the community, interest in pursuing a STEM career, and powerful personal statement. She will attend North Carolina State University and will receive, in addition to tuition assistance, mentorship opportunities and unique exposure to Almac Group’s career opportunities in the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

Commented Donna Christopher, Global VP of Operations, Almac Clinical Services, “Almac and the McClay Foundation support students in overcoming barriers to education across the world, and I am so pleased that we have expanded our reach to create opportunity here in the Triangle region. On behalf of Almac, we are excited to offer the inaugural Almac Group Scholarship to Khadeeja Ali Syeda, whom we had the recent pleasure of meeting at our facility in Durham prior to her first day at North Carolina State University. She is an impressive student who is well-prepared to succeed, and we look forward to continuing to forge a relationship with her as we provide support to help chart her success during her college career and beyond.”

Commented Khadeeja Ali Syeda, “”I would like to thank Almac for their generosity. This scholarship will alleviate much of the financial burden I had due to the cost of my education, and will make it easier for me to pursue my goals. I am honored to have been the recipient of this award, and I am excited for the opportunities it will open up for me in the future.”

The Almac Group Scholarship Fund was established in Spring2021 in partnership with Triangle Community Foundation to support a substantial, multi-year scholarship award for a selected first-year college student in the Triangle region. Triangle Community Foundation is responsible for scholarship administration and independent evaluation of scholarship candidates, and the McClay Foundation, which wholly owns the Almac Group, is the sole financier of the Fund and its subsequent awards, including this year’s award.

Commented Julia Da Silva, Scholarships Officer at Triangle Community Foundation, “We’re thrilled to be able to partner with Almac Group to support Khadeeja through her college journey and see her join our community of scholars. We can’t wait to see the positive impact she will have on her community and the amazing things she will do with the degree she has chosen to pursue.”

The McClay Foundation was established by the late Sir Allen McClay, one of Northern Ireland’s most distinguished entrepreneurs and philanthropists and founder of Almac Group, with the vision to “make a meaningful improvement and advance human health,” through the contributions of Almac Group’s innovative family of companies and support to a wide range of global charitable organizations.

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

About Triangle Community Foundation

Triangle Community Foundation is building a brighter future for everyone in the Triangle region of North Carolina. By working with dedicated donors and strong nonprofits, we are able to guide gifts in a strategic way to fill in gaps, reduce inequities, and solve the region’s most pressing challenges. Since 1983, we have envisioned a Triangle that works together so everyone can thrive. Learn more and join us at trianglecf.org.

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Galen Medical Nutrition Announces Scholarship Award

davidkane — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Supporting patients with metabolic disorders accessing further education

Craigavon, U.K. – 27 Jul 2021 – Galen, the privately-owned pharmaceutical sales and marketing company, is pleased to announce the inaugural Galen Medical Nutrition Scholarship Award designed to support people with metabolic disorders, such as Phenylketonuria (PKU), accessing further education, training and development courses or apprenticeships.

Entrants are required to complete an application form and submit a personal statement (1000 words or less) describing their educational plans and how this scholarship will enable them to achieve their personal and career goals. Two scholarships will be awarded to people with metabolic disorders and the award is open to applicants right across Europe.

The prize-winners will each win a bursary of up to £2,000/€2,500 towards their education/training course fees, in addition to a full technology package worth £2,000 including a state-of-the-art laptop, monitor, tablet, Apple watch and AirPods and a £200 voucher for study aids. Due to restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19, the 2021 awards will be presented to the recipient at ceremonies in September.

The Galen Medical Nutrition Awards committee, which will include representatives from the metabolic disease community, will evaluate entries and select two winners based on their written entry, aspirations and commitment to study.

Dr Dennise Broderick, Managing Director & President, Galen, said: “We recognise that people who are born with metabolic disorders, such as PKU, and receive the correct treatment can absolutely have the same educational and career goals as anyone else. Galen is committed to bringing innovation, quality and customer focus to people diagnosed with this condition and we are delighted to launch this scholarship programme to offer support and encourage the aspirations of individuals who deserve the opportunity to fulfil their ambition.

She continued: “We look forward to awarding this year’s winners and following how they progress over the course of their studies and beyond.”

Submissions must be made using the Galen Medical Nutrition Scholarship Award Entry Form – www.galen-pharma.com/galen-medical-nutrition-scholarship and submitted via email to medicalnutritionaward@galen-pharma.com by 1700hrs (BST) on Friday 03 September 2021.

#END#

Notes to editors

About Galen

As a subsidiary of Galen Limited, Galen US also has a growing presence in select conditions such as those requiring topical anaesthesia. The company plans to continue expanding its portfolio with selected speciality products on an international basis. By combining innovation in product development with competitive pricing, Galen aims to work in partnership with healthcare professionals and patients to create real, long-term value.

For further information please visit: www.galen-pharma.com

About Almac Group

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades and now employs over 6,000 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities globally.

For further information please visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Announces Innovative Community-Based Partnership with Indian Valley Education Foundation

allie — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Sponsorship will support a student experience project at Souderton Area High School

Souderton, PA – 14 July 2021 – Almac Group , the global contract development and manufacturing organization, is delighted to support an innovative student experience project at Souderton Area High School, in partnership with the Indian Valley Educational Foundation.

Understanding that today’s successful student experience requires access to collaborative space, technology, and a tangible connection between classwork and future opportunity, the project will support the remodeling of a large area of the Souderton Area High School library into a “Career & Collaboration Corner,” designed with students’ needs in mind. Through Almac’s financial support, the space will be outfitted with new furnishings and technology to foster collaboration, small group opportunities, and speakers, while also exposing students to Almac as a leading employer in the Indian Valley area.

The Group employs over 6,000 highly skilled personnel globally, 1,500 of whom are based across 3 locations in Pennsylvania. Almac provides a range of innovative services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, thereby offering a wide variety of career opportunities. Recently, the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce recognized Almac with the “Pillar of the Community” award for exceptional contributions to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, which included support to over 140 vaccine trials and treatment options.

Commented Alan Armstrong, Almac Group CEO, “At Almac, we are committed to inspiring and investing in the next generation of scientists, engineers and technologists who will continue our mission to advance human health. We are delighted that Souderton Area High School’s goal to expand and adapt the library into an innovative space for students is achievable with our sponsorship. We also wish to thank the Indian Valley Education Foundation for making it possible for us to support the students in our community.”

Commented Frank T. Gallagher, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, “The collaboration between community-based businesses with the Souderton Area School District through a partnership with the Indian Valley Education Foundation has been an incredible benefit to our students. I am grateful for Almac Group’s commitment to this community, and our students. By providing the resources to create this space they have provided a glimpse of what career education and development can and should be.”

Commented Sam Varano, Ed.D., Principal Souderton Area High School “We are incredibly grateful to Almac for providing a foundation for endless opportunities to connect our students’ classroom experiences to the “real world.”

A ribbon cutting ceremony, which will include representatives from Almac, Indian Valley Education Foundation, Souderton Area High School and invited members of the community, will be planned in the future to mark the project’s completion in school year 2021-2022.

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Almac Group’s Ciara Cassidy Scoops ‘Developer of the Year’ at Digital DNA Awards

davidkane — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 10:50:20 +0000

Annual programme recognises, celebrates, and promotes Northern Ireland’s best tech talent

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 2 July 2021 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to announce that Ciara Cassidy, Principal Applications Developer, was awarded ‘Developer of the Year’ at this year’s Digital DNA Awards, live-streamed from Belfast.

Now in their 6th year, the Digital DNA Awards are widely regarded as the number one awards programme for companies and individuals working within the fast growing and highly competitive tech industry in Northern Ireland.

Ciara Cassidy was named ‘Developer of the Year’ for her role as Lead Developer in Almac’s first foray into serverless application development, through a partnership with Amazon Web Services. Ciara’s team worked to architect and ramp up AWS to meet the needs of a business critical project, and after only 3 months of development, the solution went into production and is now actively used by a large Almac team.

Commented Brendan Woods, Group Head of Systems Delivery, “Almac’s Information Services team is a global and disparate central unit that supports mission critical life sciences applications 24/7. We are delighted to have a ‘Developer of the Year’ within our IS organisation, and congratulate Ciara on her well-deserved success.”

Commented Mark McColgan, Group Head of Software Engineering, “Since joining Almac in 2018, Ciara has become an integral part of our IS organisation. She expertly bridges the gap between pharma regulations, business applications, and the latest technologies to drive modernisation in our organisation, all while effectively mentoring other team members. She is very deserving of the ‘Developer of the Year’ award and I am thrilled to congratulate her success.”

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Almac Pharma Services Launches Trainee Recruitment Drive

kelly — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 14:24:49 +0000

Craigavon, UK, 16 Jun 2021 – Almac Pharma Services, a member of established global contract development and manufacturing organisation Almac Group, is recruiting up to ten new Trainee roles within its Packaging Operations team at the company’s global headquarters in Craigavon.

The new Trainee Production Operative roles will be 1-year fixed term contracts with potential to become permanent members of the Almac team and progress towards Grade 2 Senior Operator status. Beyond this, opportunities exist to progress to Grade 3 Senior Operator, Production Technician and Supervisor roles.

There is further potential to transfer skills and explore other support roles within Almac Pharma Services, for example in Quality, Validation or Production Support.

The roles in question are suitable to those who are qualified to A-Level (or an equivalent level 3 standard qualification), including those expecting to receive grades in August. The company is particularly interested to hear from candidates who have studied Life and Health Sciences (or other STEM subjects) and BTEC Applied Science. Candidates who are mechanically minded or are proficient in the use of computer software and touchscreen applications will also be of interest.

Mentorship and full training will be provided by Senior Operators and the Operations Management team. Successful candidates will be guided to find aspects of the role where their unique skills can be put to use, enhancing their capabilities and assisting them to truly shine in their career.

With over 30 years’ experience in the development and manufacture of medicinal products, the capabilities of Almac Pharma Services include formulation and analytical development, clinical and commercial-scale drug product manufacture, primary and secondary packaging and global supply chain management.

Mark English, VP Packaging & Logistics at Almac Pharma Services, said, “The Institute for Fiscal Studies reported that young workers today would be hit hardest by the pandemic with regards to unemployment and job prospects. We are pleased, particularly in the current climate, to be recruiting for STEM roles that would be suited to school leavers or young adults who are qualified with relevant A-Levels or BTECs.

“At Almac, we are passionate about mentoring our junior employees to highlight the possibilities that come with their skillset and developing those skills to unlock potential progression and growth. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to help us advance human health together.”

For information on the opportunities available, including job specification and to make an application ahead of the deadline on 9 July, please visit Almac Group Careers website.

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Launches Innovative Virtual Work Experience Hub

laurenharris — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 14 Jun 2021 – Almac Group has launched a new, first of its kind virtual work experience programme enabling young people to gain a real insight into life at one of world’s top global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisations.

With in-person shadowing and visit opportunities halted due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Almac has pivoted its traditional in-person work experience programmes to offer a fully virtual learning experience and fulfil its commitment to continue to invest in young people.

The newly launched Almac Virtual Work Experience Hub allows students to discover the wide variety of career paths available at Almac through a series of day-in-the-life videos, presentations, activities and Q&A sessions with Almac professionals.

Aimed at students aged 15 to 18 (academic years 12-14) right across Northern Ireland, the programme is flexible and learner-driven, meaning individuals can select relevant content to complete entirely at their own pace and can also receive a Certificate of Completion.

Placement numbers are unlimited and students can log on from any location which provides even greater access to the programme which would traditionally be held in-person at the company’s global headquarter site in Craigavon.

Dr Frances Weldon, Almac Group’s STEM Outreach Manager said: “Investing in the potential of Northern Ireland’s young people is of the utmost importance to Almac Group, demonstrated through our many established outreach programmes. Whilst COVID-19 posed many challenges, it was essential that we pivot to continue to meet the needs of students. Our accessible, enriching virtual hub equips students with unique career exploration resources, while also building digital literacy and critical thinking skills. We are thrilled to be able to offer this innovative programme and look forward to welcoming more students as it continues to progress.”

Dr Megan Smyth conducted work experience at Almac as a student and is now employed as a Technical Leader at Almac Sciences. She commented: “The biggest influence on my career came on the first day of Upper Sixth when I visited Almac. I only had to spend a few hours in the labs in Craigavon to cement in my mind that this was the role for me. The people that I met were passionate and inspired me to pursue a career in Science. The continued support and mentorship I received from Almac during my University studies shaped my career direction. I have never looked back and feel very fortunate to have found a career path that is rewarding, stimulating and that I still get that buzz about the potential opportunities to come. I would highly recommend the Almac programme, and now it’s virtual it can offer participants so much more, including the opportunity to be part of a truly global team!”.

To find out more and participate in our virtual work experience programme, click here: https://www.almacgroup.com/careers/almac-work-experience-hub/

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group’s Turnover Increases by £43M to £677M in 2020

allie — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:55:40 +0000

6% growth in global workforce to 5,466 during same period

Craigavon, N.I., 07 Jun 2021 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has reported a £43 million (6%) rise in turnover from £634.3 million in 2018/19 to £677.3 million for its financial year 2019/20.

During this period, the revenue increase resulted in improved pre-tax profits which were recorded at £63.5 million, up from £47.6 million for the same period the previous year. Group performance in 2020 was enhanced through the receipt of a number of out-licencing payments from products developed in-house.

Average employee figures increased from 5,150 to 5,466 during the same period. These figures were recorded in the organisation’s annual report for year ending 30 September 2020.

Throughout this year, Almac invested significantly in both new and existing facilities to meet ongoing global demand for its unique, high-quality solutions. In addition, the Group completed the acquisition of Swedish-based boutique healthcare company, POA Pharma, which added substantial new therapeutic areas and territories to its existing Galen portfolio.

As the race for a vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 escalated, Almac partnered with a variety of global pharmaceutical, biotech and research institutions to support over 140 separate crucial research projects through a range of service areas, including analytical services, peptide development, expedited Interactive Response Technology (IRT) support and clinical trial management.

Alan Armstrong, Almac Group CEO, commented: “The last financial year was challenging for everyone as companies, including Almac, had to adapt much of their typical operational practices in response to the pandemic whilst ensuring the safest working environment for employees. I am extremely proud of Almac’s efforts to ensure client service levels were not impacted in any way throughout and ensuring patients received the medication they so depend upon. The commitment, dedication and professionalism from our employees has been exemplary and I wish to thank them all.

He continued: “Almac’s mission is to “advance human health” and this has never been more applicable than right now as we continue to support multiple companies in their quest to make significant advances in the fight against COVID and other diseases. With 100% of our profits reinvested into our business, we have already committed to a number of significant expansion and improvement projects across our sites in the US, Europe and Asia in order to ensure we provide the premium solutions our global client base rely on.”

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Almac Group Named 2020 “Pillar of the Community” by Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce

allie — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 00:02:49 +0000

Souderton, P.A. – 3 June 2021 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organization, is delighted to announce that the organization was named the 2020 “Pillar of the Community” by the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented at the Chamber’s annual awards dinner, held this year on June 1 in Telford.

The Pillar of the Community is awarded annually to a large business, actively involved in the Chamber that has demonstrated a significant commitment to the community by the company and its employees. Nominations are submitted by a Chamber Executive Committee, and the final decision to award Almac was made by the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

Almac was named this year’s Pillar of the Community due to the exceptional contributions of Almac and its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an essential business, Almac continued its operations through the pandemic, ensuring no interruption in the supply chain of the hundreds of essential medicines the company supports through its integrated range of services across the drug development lifecycle. In addition, Almac contributed to over 140 treatment and vaccine options to combat COVID-19, notably supporting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine clinical trial, which upon authorization, has led to millions of vaccinations across the globe and a distinct turning point in the pandemic.

Mark Rohlfing, VP of Operations, Almac Clinical Services, accepted the award with remarks on behalf of Almac. He commented: “Almac’s mission is to advance human health, and we believe this extends to supporting the health and well-being of our local communities. Therefore, we are proud to support the Indian Valley community and Chamber of Commerce.”

“We’re also proud to acknowledge that with this award, the Chamber has recognized the exceptional dedication of hundreds of Almac employees in Pennsylvania, whose contributions directly supported COVID-19 relief efforts, as well as the continued supply of hundreds of other essential medications for patients across the globe. Our people are essential to our success and we are grateful to the Chamber for acknowledging the impact of their hard work during unprecedented times.”

Steven Hunsberger, Executive Director at Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce, commented: “We are thrilled to recognize Almac as the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Pillar of the Community. Through their contributions to human health and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, Almac has the distinction of providing significant service to not just our community, but the world. We are proud to watch them thrive in the Indian Valley and look forward to a continued prosperous future together.”

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Almac Group Announces Expansion into North West

kelly — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 12:48:58 +0000

Creation of up to 100 new career opportunities in next three years

Craigavon, UK, 02 Jun 2021 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, has today announced the launch of a recruitment campaign with a view to setting up a facility in Derry/Londonderry.

With over 5,600 employees located in 18 locations across the world, 3,600 of whom are based at its global Headquarter campus in Craigavon, Almac is planning to offer up to 100 new, highly skilled jobs specifically targeting the North West region of Northern Ireland over the next three years. The initial recruitment drive is underway and offers a mixture of project management and software engineering positions at all levels. Experience of the pharmaceutical industry is not an essential requirement for these roles as full on-the-job training is provided.

Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group, explains, “We are experiencing significant growth and have a need to support our many clients across the globe. With substantial advancement in technology, we are fortunate to be able to locate our employees anywhere we choose offering greater flexibility and access to our various range of services. Given the skills pipeline coming from Ulster University at Magee and Coleraine, combined with the excellent choice of workspace available in the Derry/Londonderry area, we have decided to explore this region as our next Almac location.

“We are proud to have our global Headquarters based in Northern Ireland and it is our plan to expand our reach and establish a base in the North West. We are hopeful that, when word spreads about our expansion plans to this region, we will be able to obtain the required numbers and quality of job applicants who are keen to join us and support our mission to advance human health globally.

“Given the success experienced by many other companies in this area, we plan to employ up to 100 staff at this new location over the next three years.”

This announcement comes as the company continues to recruit globally, in particular for its Craigavon campus, as the company grows in response to increased client demand.

To find out more or to apply for a position, visit: https://hubs.li/H0Pqy0-0

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Launches Partnership with Philadelphia Education Fund

allie — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:00:29 +0000

Almac Group Scholarship aims to promote opportunity and remove the financial barriers to undergraduate study

Souderton, PA – 15 April 2021 – Almac Group has today announced the establishment of the Almac Group Scholarship, in partnership with the Philadelphia Education Fund (PEF ). The inaugural award, renewable up to $75,000 over four years, will be made to a sole recipient in Summer 2021.

The Almac Group Scholarship is a needs-based award, open to graduates of the Philadelphia Education Fund’s College Access Program who seek to attend an accredited college or university located in Pennsylvania. The College Access Program is a comprehensive college readiness program for 9th through 12th graders in Philadelphia’s lowest graduation-rate high schools, designed to help low-income, students of color, and first generation college-goers reach their educational ambitions through one-on-one advising, college readiness workshops, financial aid counseling, and access to private scholarships.

In addition to financial assistance, the selected student will participate in PEF’s Philadelphia Scholars Program to ensure a successful undergraduate experience. The student will have the opportunity to develop a meaningful relationship with Souderton-based pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization, Almac Group, gaining unique exposure to the vast range of careers available in the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

Support for the Almac Group Scholarship comes directly from the McClay Foundation, the sole shareholder of Almac Group. The Foundation was established by the late Sir Allen McClay, one of Northern Ireland’s most distinguished entrepreneurs and philanthropists and founder of Almac Group, with the vision to “make a meaningful improvement and advance human health,” through the contributions of Almac Group’s innovative family of companies and support to a wide range of global charitable organizations.

“Recognizing the significant barriers to education that many students face, we are honored to launch the Almac Group Scholarship, specifically designed to support local students in their educational ambitions, regardless of financial circumstance,” commented Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac Group and Chairman of the McClay Foundation. “We are delighted that in Philadelphia Education Fund, we have successfully identified a charitable partner which shares in one of our core values —that educational opportunity has the power to transform lives and communities. We look forward, with great anticipation, to awarding to a deserving student this summer.”

“We are grateful to Almac Group and McClay Foundation for their recognition of our work, and we’re excited to be able to offer this scholarship to our students,” said Farah Jimenez, PEF’s President and CEO. “What makes this new partnership special is the career exposure opportunity that the student will have. Having a broader sense of where their degree can take them will be both guiding and motivating.”

The Almac Group Scholarship in Philadelphia is one of two programs launched in 2021 with support from McClay Foundation to support local students in the communities that Almac Group calls home. Local to our Durham facility, a partnership was launched with Triangle Community Foundation, paving way for a student in the North Carolina Triangle region to be awarded a scholarship in Summer 2021 as well.

Locally, McClay Foundation has continued to support Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, most recently by assisting the scale-up of support to children treated at CHOP’s “Community Health and Literacy Center” located in South Philadelphia. In addition, recognizing that charitable organizations had been impacted significantly as a result of the pandemic, Almac announced late last year that it had donated a quarter of a million pounds to 33 charities globally in order to support their critical work. In the Philadelphia metro area, those beneficiaries included CHOP’s COVID Relief Research & Development Fund, and Laurel House, a comprehensive domestic violence agency serving families in Montgomery County.

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Almac Group Appoints Julie Shannon as Vice President and Deputy Head of Information Services

allie — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 06:30:00 +0000

Craigavon, UK, 01 April 2021 – Almac Group, the contract development and manufacturing organisation, has today announced the appointment of Julie Shannon as Vice President and Deputy Head of Information Services (IS), globally.

In her role as VP, Julie will continue to support the Group’s Global Vice President & Group Head of Information Services, Andy Hillis. She will oversee the continuous streamlining, simplification and improvement of processes, with a view to removing non-value adding tasks thereby improving delivery across the entire department.

Julie will also be introducing the concept of shared services into IS in an effort to increase and improve collaboration in the standardization of service delivery provided by the department. This will ensure the IT operating model provides the best value to Almac by understanding current and future technology needs.

Improving the management of the Group’s IS suppliers and vendors will also be a key part of Julie’s role as they, in many cases, provide key technical expertise which in turn supports the services provide by the team. She will also provide executive-level leadership and guidance to Almac’s IS operations which provides support for over 4,000 global users.

Having spent time working for multinational information technology equipment and services company, Fujitsu, Julie joined the Almac IS team in 2001 and has been a key member throughout. Most recently she served as Group IS Support Manager where she led a global team to support Almac’s IS infrastructure, network, databases, systems and hardware.

Providing an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally is built upon sound IS infrastructure and as Almac Group has grown, so too has the Group’s dependency on more advanced, secure and innovative digital technology. With over 2 decades experience, Julie has played a pivotal role in the seamless execution and expansion of IS services and support across Almac’s multiple facilities and offices throughout Europe, Asia and the United States in order to meet this growing demand.

Andy Hillis commented on Julie’s appointment: “I am delighted to announce Julie’s promotion to Vice President and Deputy Head of Information Services. Over the past 20 years she has been a valuable member of our team providing advice, guidance and support to enable the continual development of our global IS infrastructure, operations and resources. The commitment, experience and expertise Julie has demonstrated through her various roles within the department has been crucial in supporting the development of the IS team and I wish her every success in her new role.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

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Almac Group Awarded ISO Certification for Integrated Safety and Environment Management System

kelly — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 24 Mar 2021 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, has recently secured the International Standard Organization (ISO) certifications for its Integrated Health, Safety and Environment Management Systems under the ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 standards – the most internationally recognised standards for health, safety and environment (HSE) management systems.

The achievement followed an extensive virtual auditing process, performed by the National Quality Assurance (NQA) certification body over a three-day period. The audit involved a range of virtual tours, presentations and an extensive review of Almac’s integrated management system. NQA determined that Almac demonstrated a clear commitment to meeting the highest standards of HSE and accountability throughout the business and are fully accountable for ensuring these standards are maintained through integrated and standardised policies and procedures.

The certification covers Almac Group’s provision of research, development, innovation and contract manufacturing services by each of its facilities based at its global Headquarters campus in Northern Ireland, which employs over 3,500 individuals. The integrated framework gives all managers and employees guidance and support regarding the management of HSE, from identifying and handling risks to evaluating and continuously improving processes and is continually updated and improved through regular assessments, reviews and internal audits.

Jon Cooil, Global VP HSE, Facilities and Engineering, Almac Group commented: “This ISO certification is an acknowledgement that our robust processes, procedures and systems have been designed and implemented with health, safety and the environment as the utmost priority.

We consistently adhere to the highest standards and guidelines enabling us to have an organised and streamlined set of processes that perform seamlessly and efficiently, whist providing a healthy and safe working environment for our employees. The achievement underpins our ongoing commitment to provide world-class contract manufacturing and development solutions to our global clients.”

The Group’s HSE team is currently progressing the programme to extend the scope of both ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 to several of its European sites.

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Launches Scholarship Fund, Will Award $50,000 to Triangle Student in 2021

kelly — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Fund aims to promote opportunity and remove the financial barriers to undergraduate study

Durham, North Carolina – 27 January 2021 –Almac Group has today announced the establishment of the Almac Scholarship Fund in partnership with Triangle Community Foundation. The inaugural award, a $50,000 over four-year scholarship, will be made to a sole recipient in Spring 2021.

The Almac Scholarship Fund of Triangle Community Foundation exists to support first-year college students in the Triangle region pursuing four-year degrees at a North Carolina public college or university. Applicants must be a resident of Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake county, and must demonstrate financial need.

In addition to tuition assistance, the selected student will receive resources from Triangle Community Foundation to help support a successful undergraduate experience and will have the opportunity to develop a meaningful relationship with Durham-based contract development and manufacturing organization, Almac Group, gaining exposure to the organization’s role in the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

Support for the Almac Scholarship Fund comes directly from the McClay Foundation, the sole shareholder of Almac Group. The Foundation was established by the late Sir Allen McClay, one of Northern Ireland’s most distinguished entrepreneurs and philanthropists and founder of Almac Group, with the vision to “make a meaningful improvement and advance human health,” through the contributions of Almac Group’s innovative family of companies and support to a wide range of global charitable organizations.

The application for this year’s Almac Scholarship Fund award is currently live and interested students must apply via Triangle Community Foundation’s online portal (link here) by noon on March 1.

“Recognizing the significant barriers to education that many students face, we are honored to launch the Almac Scholarship Fund, specifically designed to support local students in their educational ambitions, regardless of financial circumstance,” commented Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac Group and Chairman of the McClay Foundation. “We are delighted that in Triangle Community Foundation, we have successfully identified a charitable partner which shares in one of our core values —that educational opportunity has the power to transform lives and communities. We look forward, with great anticipation, to making our first award to a deserving student this spring.”

“As an employer of approximately 400 individuals in the Triangle region, Almac, with the support of the McClay Foundation, has always endeavored to make a positive contribution to the community in which we all live and work,” commented Donna Christopher, Global VP of Operations, Almac Clinical Services. “With the average college debt sitting at over $25,000 per student in North Carolina, our scholarship award is poised to make a considerable, measurable impact on the life of a local student. On behalf of all my colleagues in Durham, we look forward to celebrating this year’s awardee in the spring, and chart their success in the future.”

“We’re excited to be partnering with Almac, an international business with a local presence, to offer such a significant scholarship to a Triangle student,” said Sarah Battersby, MSW, Senior Scholarships & Education Officer, Triangle Community Foundation. “In these challenging economic times, and with the added impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that scholarships are more critical than ever in enabling our youth to attend and successfully complete college.”

Locally, over the past two years, the McClay Foundation has continued to support Duke Children’s Development Hospital programs for families in need. Most recently, this support has provided access to vital small items, such as thermometers for infants, diapers, infant, toddler and child car seats, transportation vouchers and health & hygiene packages for adolescents, to over 14,000 families in the region. In addition, recognising that charitable organisations had been impacted significantly as a result of the pandemic, Almac announced late last year that it had donated a quarter of a million pounds to 33 charities globally in order to support their critical work.

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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The College of Paramedics Opens Dr John Hinds Scholarship Call for Entries

evewallace — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 25 January 2021 – The College of Paramedics, in association with Galen, the privately-owned pharmaceutical sales and marketing company is pleased to announce that applications for this year’s Dr John Hinds Scholarship Award will open on Tuesday 26^th January 2021. The recipient will win a place on the much-coveted Anaesthesia Trauma and Critical Care (ATACC) course and have their case study published in the College of Paramedics’ magazine, ‘Paramedic INSIGHT’.

Dr Dennise Broderick, Managing Director & President, Galen, said: “This award is not only a fitting and lasting tribute to Dr Hinds but it also provides a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals to advance their expertise and gain access to a highly coveted training programme. Dr Hinds was a pioneering leader in the field of emergency trauma care who dedicated his life to helping others and Galen is therefore proud to support this annual scholarship programme in his honour.”

Last year’s recipient, Orla Morrow of Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Belfast commented: “The ATACC programme is accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons and is an extremely coveted course worldwide. It provides an opportunity to learn and experience, through simulation, the most up-to-date and advanced trauma skills within the pre-hospital environment and offers a range of examples of how to apply these in practice. I was delighted to win my scholarship and would like to thank both Almac and the Hinds family for providing this amazing opportunity.”

Submissions must be made using the Dr John Hinds Scholarship Award Entry Form – l in k and submitted via email to awards@collegeofparamedics.co.uk by 1200hrs on Friday 26 March 2021. The College Honours and Awards Committee will then select the winning piece. Due to restrictions imposed as result of COVID-19, the 2021 award will be presented to the recipient at a ceremony in September.

Submissions should be 750–1,000 words, excluding references and appendices. As a condition of the award, the recipient will be required to submit their case study

for publication in Paramedic INSIGHT magazine which has over 20,000 subscribers, along with a follow-up article that describes their experience on the ATACC course.

#END#

Notes to editors

About College of Paramedics

About Galen

As a subsidiary of Galen Limited, Galen US also has a growing presence in select conditions such as those requiring topical anaesthesia. The company plans to continue expanding its portfolio with selected specialty products on an international basis. By combining innovation in product development with competitive pricing, Galen aims to work in partnership with healthcare professionals and patients to create real, long-term value. Visit: www.galen-pharma.com

About Almac Group

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades and now employs over 5,600 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

For further information please visit almacgroup.com.

About The ATACC Group

For further information please visit https://www.ataccgroup.com

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Almac Group Raises £30k for Southern Area Hospice

kelly — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 21 Dec 2021 – Employees from Craigavon-based Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, have raised an incredible £30,000 for Southern Area Hospice enabling them to continue their invaluable care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses.

The money was raised through Almac’s annual raffle which, this year, offered over 110 fantastic prizes generously donated by the company’s suppliers, consultants and other businesses. Employees started purchasing online tickets in November with the chance to win a range of quality items including smart TVs, tablets, luxury hampers, hotel & gift vouchers and other amazing prizes.

Elaine Gibson, Almac Group’s Global Travel & Events Manager, commented: “This is the 14^th year we have held our grand draw and this is a record-breaking total. We are delighted that our employees have again risen to the challenge and donated this incredible amount of money for such a worthy cause. A huge thank you to all the companies who donated prizes and PRA, Tempsen and Westrock who made donations directly to Southern Area Hospice.”

Anne MacOscar, Corporate Partnerships Officer, Southern Area Hospice, commented: “Southern Area Hospice Services is delighted to have been selected to benefit from Almac Group’s Charity Raffle this year. Covid-19 has had a major impact on our ability to fundraise and has had a huge impact on the way we deliver our services. However, our beds are still full and patients and families still need us. Thank you so much for this incredible donation which enables us to continue to provide essential care and support to our patients and families in need through this very challenging time.”

The socially distanced draw took place on Monday 14^th December with Almac’s CEO, Alan Armstrong, selecting the winners at random from a large tombola. The event was filmed live and posted on the company’s intranet to enable employees to share the excitement of the raffle.

Earlier this year Almac announced an employee-driven initiative which saw 33 health and welfare organisations local to Almac’s 11 global facilities benefit from a total of £250,000. Read more here.

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Welcomes COVID-19 Vaccine Trial News Announced by Pfizer & BioNTech

kelly — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 19:03:53 +0000

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 10 November 2020 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, has welcomed the exciting news from Pfizer, and its German partner, BioNTech, that its potential COVID-19 vaccine showed better than 90% efficacy in their pivotal Phase III trial.

Almac Clinical Services is proud to support its client, BioNTech, by performing a range of services including secondary labelling, storage, distribution, provision of depots, temperature management through its TempEZ™ platform, drug returns and pharmacist services across the globe.

Commenting on the development, Dr Robert Dunlop, Managing Director & President, Almac Clinical Services, stated “We are delighted with their announcement that significant progress has been made in this trial. The extremely positive news that we may see a vaccine being approved for use before the end of the year is the development the world has been waiting for and we are proud to have played our part.”

Global VP of Operations, Donna Christopher, who led the project for Almac added: “We are both proud and privileged to support this clinical study through a range of services which has enabled us to play our part in the fight against COVID-19. I would like to offer our congratulations to the diligent teams at Pfizer and BioNTech for their work thus far, and to thank those within Almac for all their work in support of this. Everyone at Almac wishes Pfizer and BioNTech every success as they continue their excellent work to hopefully bring this pandemic to an end.”

In addition to the services listed above, Almac’s bespoke temperature controlled shipping solution, the Almac Pod™, is being used to transport the vaccine in the required frozen condition to investigator sites across the world. This offers a protected, optimised and dynamic solution that safeguards the product and mitigates against temperature changes throughout transit using advanced phase change technology thereby ensuring the patient receives a stable, fit-for-purpose drug which has not been compromised at any stage.

Almac Group continues its partnership with a variety of other global pharmaceutical, biotech and research institutions to support over 80 separate crucial research projects into COVID-19 treatment options. The Group is supporting this urgent research need through a range of service areas, including analytical services, peptide development, expedited Interactive Response Technology (IRT) support and clinical trial manufacturing, packaging and distribution.

Find out more – https://www.almacgroup.com/almac-is-proud-to-support-multiple-programs-to-accelerate-covid-19-treatment/

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Continues HLA Scheme for Aspiring Scientists, Technologists and Engineers

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 09:00:00 +0000

On-the-job training programme maximises career development potential

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 04 November 2020 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is continuing its successful Higher-Level Apprenticeship (HLA) programme enabling students to earn a salary whilst developing their experience, maximising their career development potential and completing a structured programme of tailored on-the-job training.

The multifaceted scheme offers HLAs in Applied Industrial Sciences (Chemical Sciences), Computing and Mechatronic Engineering giving access to key departments and globally respected experts across multiple disciplines. Available for both existing and newly recruited employees, Almac’s programme has been operating for the last five years and is delivered through the ApprenticeshipsNI programme, in association with Southern Regional College (SRC).

To date, Almac’s intake has been extremely popular with over 30 HLAs being recruited in various departments by the global organisation. Apprentices who participate in the programmes can work in a high-quality, customer focused, innovative environment and are fully supported by both an expert Almac mentor and a personally assigned assessor from SRC.

Almac’s HLA programme illustrates a shift in the employment of apprenticeships by employers across the UK. While the total number of apprenticeships has been declining for several years, new schemes are being created to attract school leavers to highly technical roles or provide practical training for existing employees.

“The success of our business depends on having a diverse workforce of suitably trained and qualified staff,” said Dr Frances Weldon, STEM Outreach Manager, Almac Group. “Offering different pathways into the various opportunities available at Almac is a fundamental part of that and we have no doubt that the incorporation of apprenticeship programmes to recruit staff into our labs, engineering and IS teams will mean we can grow a talent pipeline from within our organisation.”

Michelle McKinstry graduated with a BSc Degree this summer having completed her HLA in Applied Industrial Sciences (Chemical Sciences) with Almac Sciences over the past 4 years. Now employed full time as an Analytical Chemist, Michelle reflects on her pathway: “The HLA is a brilliant experience, challenging, but very rewarding and it has enabled me to earn while I learn, without paying any tuition fees or running up any student debt. I have developed new skills and increased my knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry. The experience I have gained has been invaluable and working at Almac has given me the confidence to progress and succeed in my chosen career path.”

For further information regarding the various HLA opportunities available at Almac visit almacgroup.com/careers/apprenticeships.

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Ranked Second in Belfast Telegraph’s “Businesses making the largest contribution to incomes” Table

kelly — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:57:16 +0000

Moves to Number Eleven in “Top 100 Companies” List

Craigavon, N.I., 30 Sep 2020 – Craigavon based Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is honoured to take the number two spot in this year’s Belfast Telegraph “Businesses making the largest contribution to incomes” table. In addition, in a table listing Northern Ireland’s “Top 100 Companies” the company has moved up eight positions to number eleven.

The table ranks the most successful Northern Ireland-registered companies in order of pre-tax profits and has been described as a “timely reminder of the ongoing strength and diversity of our economy”. Company accounts from across Northern Ireland were analysed by top economist John Simpson to create the list and inevitably pre-date Covid-19.

The news comes as the Group’s figures for year ending 30 September 2019 reported a £85.4 million rise in turnover at £634.3 million with pre-tax profits recorded at £47.6 million, up from £27.6 million, while average global employee figures increased from 4,798 to 5,150 during the same period. Since these figures were published, much has changed in the pharmaceutical industry as a result of the impact of the current pandemic, however Almac continues to conduct its critical business operations across all its locations and is currently supporting over 80 separate crucial research programs to accelerate COVID-19 treatment.

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Almac McKervey Award Presented for Excellence in Chemistry

davidkane — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 29 Sep 2020 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has today announced this year’s recipient of the ‘Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry’.

The award, established in 2018 as a commemoration to the life and work of one of Ireland’s most distinguished scientists, Professor Tony McKervey, who passed away in June 2017, was made to Queen’s University Belfast MChem in Medicinal Chemistry student, Sinead McCann.

Dr Stephen Barr, Managing Director and President, Almac Sciences, announced the winner at the Queen’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering virtual Graduation awards ceremony on 22nd July. In his video address, Dr Barr made reference to the truly monumental period where, due to the pandemic, the profile given to science and scientists has never been higher, offering the Graduates of 2020 the opportunity and potential to make a real difference in the world by combining their skills, knowledge and talent with others to support global health, socio-economic and environmental challenges.

Sinead, who is from Magherafelt, also received a £1,500 bursary towards her tuition fees and a 12-month placement with Almac to gain practical industry experience and mentorship in process development chemistry.

Dr Stephen Barr said: “I am pleased to present this year’s Almac McKervey Award to Sinead in memory of our esteemed colleague and friend Tony whose commendable leadership and kind manner inspired many of us during his long service with Almac. Sinead has demonstrated exemplary performance throughout her degree to date and I hope, that in receiving this recognition today, she will progress to a long and rewarding career in chemistry. Many congratulations.”

Upon receiving the award, Sinead said: “I am delighted to have won this year’s Almac McKervey award and am excited to carry out my placement at Almac. The experience and insight I will be exposed to will certainly help me develop my wider chemistry understanding, introduce me to new techniques and help me develop my skills further.”

Sinead’s name was added to the perpetual commemorative wall plaque at the David Keir building at Queen’s- a replica of which is displayed at Almac’s global headquarter facility in Craigavon.

Born in Ederney, Co Fermanagh in 1938, Tony earned a degree in Chemistry from Queen’s in 1961. A former Professor of Organic Chemistry at both University College Cork and Queen’s University Belfast, Tony founded Almac’s Sciences Business Unit in 1992 and continued to support Almac as a member of the Sciences’ senior management team until his death at the age of 78.

The Almac McKervey Award, which is open to students studying Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s, is presented each year to the top applicant, selected on both their academic achievement and performance at an interview with Almac’s chemistry experts.

#END#

Notes to Editor

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, analytical services, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 5,600 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Donates a Quarter of a Million Pounds to Global Charities in Wake of COVID-19

davidkane — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 14:48:56 +0000

Employee-driven initiative will benefit 33 health and welfare organisations local to Almac’s 11 global facilities

Craigavon, Northern Ireland – 02 September 2020 – Almac Group has today announced the organisation will donate £250,000 to 33 charities globally to support their critical work in the wake of COVID-19.

Each year Almac hosts a summer “family fun day” at each of its locations, bringing together employees and their families to enjoy a full day of socialising, games and events. As the global organisation continues to focus on the wellbeing of all its employees throughout the global COVID-19 situation and, with social distancing remaining a priority, these fun days were unable to proceed.

Recognising that charitable organisations rely on significant donations typically received via monthly events and fundraising, and that those efforts have ceased as a result of the pandemic, Almac deemed it appropriate to use the money which would have been typically spent on its fun days to make a contribution to a number of registered charities in each of its localities. The company launched a localised employee survey to determine which regional charitable beneficiaries would receive a share of a quarter of a million pounds total contribution.

Each of Almac’s 5,600 employees across 11 main facilities located in the U.K., Europe, Asia and North America were given the opportunity to select those charities they deemed most important to their local communities, yielding 3 beneficiaries per location. A total of 33 organisations were selected to receive a donation in direct response to Almac’s employee feedback and cover a wide range of missions ranging from childhood welfare, hunger, cancer support, hospice and social justice causes.

Alan Armstrong, Group CEO, commented: “As a global organisation, Almac’s mission is to advance human health, and we recognise that this extends to supporting the health and wellbeing of our local communities, especially during a global pandemic. In response, we are honoured to support 33 organisations, chosen by our employees, which support the health and welfare of our neighbours in each of our corporate locations, and we are proud to give back during this unprecedented time.”

The global organisation is also partnering with a variety of global pharmaceutical, biotech and research institutions to support over 80 separate crucial research projects into COVID-19 treatment options. These vital projects cover a range of different areas including vaccines and various potential treatments for symptoms and the effects of this disease. Find out more https://www.almacgroup.com/almac-is-proud-to-support-multiple-programs-to-accelerate-covid-19-treatment.

Notes to Editors

Almac Group hosts annual fun events for all employees and their immediate families in each key location. Given the exceptional circumstances brought about by COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 the Almac Group executive team agreed to combine the money typically spent on organising these multiple events and supplement the total in order to enable a donation of a quarter of a million pounds Stirling.

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The international company is a privately owned organisation which has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 5,600 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia. To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Moves to Number Five in Ulster Business Top 100 Companies List

davidkane — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 10:19:18 +0000

2018/19 figures report turnover increased by £85M with 7% growth in global workforce

Craigavon, N.I., 20 Aug 2020 – Craigavon based Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is honoured to move up three positions to number five in this year’s Ulster Business “Most valuable businesses” table.

For the third consecutive year, the Group was also listed in a supplementary report detailing the “Most profitable companies in Northern Ireland”, and moved up from tenth place in 2019 to this year’s number eight.

Niall Harkin, Almac Group Finance Director, commented: “We are delighted to see Almac placed at number five in this year’s Ulster Business Top 100 companies tables. 2019 was a highly successful year for Almac as we continued to invest significantly in our people, facilities and unique solutions to ensure our growing client base are offered the most flexible, innovative and efficient services in our marketplace with the sole aim of advancing the health of patients across the world. Achieving recognition in these listings, and indeed our overall success, is testament to the dedication, expertise and contribution of our ever increasing global and diverse employee base.”

The Ulster Business Top 100 list has showcased the performance of the biggest firms from right across Northern Ireland, ranked by turnover, for more than 30 years. The annual report is sponsored by A&L Goodbody and uses a combination of data sourced from both Dun & Bradstreet’s information database and Companies House. It incorporates the results of Northern Ireland based companies, either Northern Ireland registered, or when a significant portion of their business is driven and transacted through the province.

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Launches Tempod® 1000 to Improve Clinical Site Temperature Data Management

davidkane — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 12:00:00 +0000

Innovative USB extends established temperature management service for sponsors and patients

Durham, N.C., 24 June 2020 – Almac Clinical Services, part of the Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, has launched Tempod® 1000 which bolsters the company’s Site Compliance and temperature management offering for sponsors.

An extension to Almac’s established temperature management service, Tempod 1000 is a USB device that captures and stores all clinical site temperature data and automatically identifies unreported excursions once uploaded into TempEZ™. Designed to remove the administrative burden of updating manual temperature logs, it also increases site compliance with reporting data and promotes best digital practice in clinical studies and patient safety.

Manual methods of data capture have proved challenging due to disruptions caused by the global pandemic. Many clinical sites are operating reduced hours and, in some cases, closing. The Tempod 1000 automates the process by continually recording temperature data for drug products stored at clinical sites, providing sponsors and CRAs with full, remote visibility thereby ensuring quality and integrity of the drug product.

“Tempod 1000 is an enhanced service for sponsors already benefiting from Almac’s Site Compliance module and TempEZ platform,” said Donna Christopher, Global VP of Operations, Almac Clinical Services. “It will save time and resource through automated collection of temperature data at the clinical sites. Not only will this relieve the pressure on site staff, but it also provides audit-ready temperature history that can be accessed remotely by the sponsor or CRAs. Almac is committed to digital transformation and recognises the value of replacing manual, paper-based processes.”

Tempod 1000 follows the recent launch of the Site Compliance module of Almac’s leading, web-based temperature data management system, TempEZ. The module, combined with Tempod 1000, is another step closer to our goal to digitize, visualize and manage the temperature data held by clinical sites. This will create an end-to-end view of temperature data within TempEZ and demonstrate products have been stored within the label claim at each stage in the supply chain, including at clinical sites where most temperature excursions occur.

In addition, Tempod 1000 will reduce the risk of missed patient visits due to unreported excursions, enable sponsors and CRAs to identify and resolve excursions remotely, speed-up CRA review time during site visits and facilitate timely and efficient study close-outs and database locks. Find out more about Almac’s TempEz solution here.

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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2018-19 Figures Show Almac Group’s Turnover Increased by £85M to £634M

laurenharris — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 14:24:29 +0000

7% growth in global workforce to over 5,100 during same period

Craigavon, N.I., 12 Jun 2020 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has reported an £85.4 million rise in turnover from £548.9 million to £634.3 million for its financial year 2018-19.

During this period, the revenue increase resulted in improved pre-tax profits which were recorded at £47.6 million, up from £27.6 million for the same period the previous year. Higher exchange gains on financial activities in the year also contributed to this profit level improvement.

Average employee figures increased from 4,798 to 5,150 during the same period. These figures were recorded in the organisation’s annual report for year ending 30 September 2019.

Throughout this period, the Group continued to invest heavily in its existing facilities across UK, Europe, North America and Asia. In addition, the organisation launched a number of innovative and unique solutions designed to offer greater efficiency to its global clients within the diagnostic, clinical trial and pharmaceutical development arenas.

Alan Armstrong, Group CEO, commented: “These results show a strong growth trajectory which is testament that our strategy of investing significantly in our people, facilities and unique solutions is clearly effective. With 100% of our profits reinvested into our business, we will continue to innovate and improve our wide range of services and products to ensure we provide the premium solutions our global client base relies on.

He continued: “These results are for our 2018-19 financial year and, since then, much has changed in our industry. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to conduct our critical business operations across all our locations. The health and safety of our employees and our ability to ensure the delivery of medicines to patients is, and always has been, our top priority and we are committed to ensure this continues.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

The figures quoted in this announcement relate to the financial period 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2019 and does not include work relating to COVID-19 or other projects being carried out during the current 2019/2020 FY.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Welcomes Confirmation that Northern Ireland’s Pharmaceutical Industry will Maintain Regulatory Alignment with the EU Post-Brexit

evewallace — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 08:50:09 +0000

Move offers Almac clients unique, unfettered and flexible access to both the UK and European markets

Craigavon, N.I., 04 Jun 2020 – Northern Ireland-based Almac Group has welcomed confirmation from the EU’s medicines regulator, the EMA, that, post-Brexit, Northern Ireland will remain in regulatory alignment with the EU, acknowledging that EU laws, in respect of medicinal products, shall continue to apply in Northern Ireland. The UK Government has now also confirmed that this will be the case.

As a result, manufacturing and associated QP (Qualified Person) certification, for both clinical supplies and commercial product performed at Almac’s global HQ site in Craigavon, will continue to be recognised both by the UK and European regulatory agencies and allow products processed at its facilities seamless regulatory movement into both the EU and UK.

Due to the geographical location of its global headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, Almac Group is now in a uniquely advantageous position to offer its global client base unique, unfettered and flexible access to both the UK and European markets. This move provides customers the clarity, confidence and reassurance they have been seeking regarding continuity of supply to their patients throughout the transition period and beyond.

Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group, commented: “This latest confirmation, coming from both the EU and the UK, is a welcome step and ensures our current and future clients can continue to receive an unfettered solution with exclusive access to both the EU and UK marketplace. Crucially, our unique location in Northern Ireland ensures we can provide uninterrupted service provision now, and into the future, maintaining our position as a global leader in the life sciences sector.”

This news comes three years after the Group established a bespoke facility in Dundalk, Ireland, which enabled Almac to guarantee immediate and seamless access to the EU, regardless of the final shape of Brexit. This proactive move provided welcome reassurance to its global clients at a time of uncertainty throughout the Brexit negotiations. This new confirmation around the NI protocol will offer clients even further reassurance around another of Almac’s facilities.

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Supports Two COVID-19 Clinical Studies in Sub-Saharan Africa

davidkane — Thu, 28 May 2020 13:00:12 +0000

Grant awarded from the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, an Initiative by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and Mastercard

Craigavon, N.I., 28 May 2020 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, has received a $288,000 grant to support a clinical study in Sub-Saharan Africa in efforts to find a treatment for Coronavirus. This was awarded from the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, an initiative by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and Mastercard.

Almac Clinical Services is providing a full range of clinical trial solutions from protocol through to patient delivery, whilst Almac Sciences is providing analytical support, direct from its global headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. In an effort to expedite the drug development process, Almac Clinical Services has received the active drug and is providing over encapsulation services, manufacturing a placebo match, packaging and labelling the supplies to support this blinded clinical trial. Almac Sciences is conducting rigorous analytical and stability testing for the investigational drug.

Dr. Robert Dunlop, Managing Director and President, Almac Clinical Services commented. “This virus is threatening peoples’ lives and livelihoods and nowhere worse than in the poorer regions of the world. Almac’s global capabilities and expertise enables us to play our part and support efforts to find a vaccine and/or treatment for Coronavirus. We are delighted to be awarded this grant from the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator and to be supporting these clinical studies in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

Almac Clinical Services will ship all supplies to the clinical site with onward management of logistics and distribution of quality drug for delivery safely to patients. This Covid-19 study is being led by an African Principal Investigator. In addition, Almac is supporting a second open label clinical study through the distribution of commercial packs to a pharmacy in South Africa. Due to its comprehensive range of innovative and flexible services, Almac was approached to support these urgent clinical studies by R&D Supply Chain Advisors, Brizzey LLC.

The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator is an initiative launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and Mastercard, with funding from an array of public and philanthropic donors to speed up the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by funding the identification, assessment, development and scale up of treatments.

ENDS

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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InMed and Almac Group Developing Improved Cannabinoid Production Methods

davidkane — Tue, 05 May 2020 10:30:00 +0000

Vancouver, BC – May 5th, 2020 – InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed” or the “Company”) (TSX:IN; OTCQX:IMLFF), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing medications targeting diseases with high unmet medical need and leading the way in the clinical development of cannabinol (“CBN”), today announced that it is working with the Almac Group (UK) (“Almac”) on a proprietary approach to augment current biosynthesis-based methods for cannabinoid production.

Over the last several months, InMed and Almac have been engaged in developing a streamlined cannabinoid manufacturing process, specifically optimizing the upstream cannabinoid assembly processes as well as downstream purification, to achieve cost efficient, GMP-grade active pharmaceutical ingredients for prescription-based medications.

“InMed’s research and development teams have been working diligently in identifying an approach that integrates several existing pharmaceutical manufacturing processes to enable cannabinoid production,” said InMed’s Senior Vice President, Preclinical Research & Development, Dr. Eric Hsu. “An essential part of our effort has been drawing on the extensive experience and ‘best practice’ expertise of leading contract development and manufacturing organizations. Almac brings extensive knowledge and a successful track record to this effort, from early process development to commercial-scale manufacturing. We are very much looking forward to continuing our combined efforts in optimizing different aspects of the cannabinoid manufacturing process.”

Prof. Tom Moody, Almac’s VP of Technology Development and Commercialisation added, “Working with the InMed team on, what we all believe may become, a state-of-the-art approach to cannabinoid manufacturing has been an exciting challenge. Our companies continue to make steady progress in several areas across multi-disciplinary research including enzyme engineering, process design and development and downstream processing.”

About InMed: InMed Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of cannabinoid-based medications, initially focused on the therapeutic benefits of cannabinol (CBN) in diseases with high unmet medical need. The Company is dedicated to delivering new therapeutic alternatives to patients that may benefit from cannabinoid-based medicines. For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.

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TruSight Oncology Family Grows with Liquid Biopsy and High-Throughput Assay Additions

davidkane — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:30:00 +0000

Providing customers with a versatile, scalable, sample-to-report workflow

Craigavon, U.K., 24 April 2020 – Bringing comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) one step closer to the standard of care in oncology, Illumina is now shipping TruSight™ Oncology 500 ctDNA (TSO 500 ctDNA), our first liquid biopsy solution for detecting cancer biomarkers, and TruSight Oncology 500 High-Throughput (TSO 500 HT), enabling high-throughput implementation by large labs with high-volume tissue sample needs. TSO 500 ctDNA and TSO 500 HT provide labs with the flexibility to run tissue or blood plasma samples on a single high-throughput platform, the NovaSeq™ 6000 Sequencing System. These two new additions join the TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO 500) family – the tissue-based version of the assay, which is optimized for both the NextSeq 550 and NextSeq 550Dx Systems. TruSight Oncology 500 products are currently intended for research use only (RUO).

TSO 500 ctDNA enables non-invasive, comprehensive genomic profiling of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) when tissue testing is not optimal, or to complement tissue-based testing. TSO 500 ctDNA is one of the first liquid biopsy assays to enable comprehensive genomic profiling that interrogates the sequence of 523 genes in key cancer-related pathways, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), Indels, copy-number variants (CNVs), fusions, microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutational burden (TMB).

Optimized for the NovaSeq 6000, TSO 500 ctDNA offers both the economic value and the scale of sequencing needed to properly interrogate ctDNA at high levels of sensitivity and specificity. Complementing TSO 500 ctDNA on the NovaSeq 6000 is TSO 500 HT, providing large labs the ability to perform CGP analysis of up to 192 FFPE samples at a time, in a single NovaSeq sequencing run. Additionally, the two assays offer comprehensive coverage including a majority of the known and anticipated biomarkers associated with guidelines and clinical trials.

“We believe in the advancement of personalized medicine guided by molecular-based testing to improve patient outcomes,” said Margot P. Schoenborn, CEO of OmniSeq, Inc. “TSO 500 HT gives us the scalability to process a large number of samples every week, in that we can batch from 16 to 192 samples in a single run on the NovaSeq. Having the flexibility to run multiple flow cell options will enable us to optimize sequencing runs based on clinical volumes and flexibility to meet the turnaround time requirements of our customers.”

By offering solutions that independently interrogate both tissue and liquid biopsies on the NovaSeq 6000, Illumina’s TSO 500 portfolio enables a complete solution of in-house quality comprehensive genomic profiling assays, providing customers with:

Flexibility and efficiency to deploy the same oncology panel, on the same sequencing platform, regardless of sample type
Ability to run comparability of results in tissue and blood from a single individual, or across individuals
Scalability to meet high-throughput lab requirements

“Comprehensive genomic profiling on the DNA- and RNA- level will play an increasing role for cancer precision medicine,” said Professor Albrecht Stenzinger, MD, from the Institute of Pathology at University Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany. “There is a growing number of drug targets, as well as an emerging landscape of resistance mechanisms, that will make large panels, which I define as panels with more than 1 Megabase genomic footprint, not the exception, but the norm. High quality data with low TAT will be crucial in this context,” he concluded.

Offering an impressive sample-to-answer workflow, with a five-day turn-around time

Secondary analysis of large liquid biopsy CGP panels can be challenging. To address this issue, TSO 500 ctDNA utilizes the Illumina DRAGEN^TM (Dynamic Read Analysis for GENomics) Bio-IT Platform to provide accurate and ultra-rapid secondary analysis of sequencing data. TSO 500 ctDNA leverages the combination of the DRAGEN Bio-IT server hardware and DRAGEN TruSight Oncology 500 ctDNA Analysis Software to offer an accelerated, easy-to-implement, fully integrated set of bioinformatics algorithms to overcome ctDNA challenges, and ensure optimal assay performance. This is important because it provides robust and accelerated comprehensive variant calling, at very low limits of detection, in a single solution.

Dr. Steven Walker, Head of Product Development, Almac Diagnostic Services said: “This innovate product from Illumina will enable Almac to provide Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies with a new liquid biopsy option to support their translational research, clinical trials and CDx development. The assay, based on the TSO 500 platform, allows the mutational assessment of 523 genes from a single liquid biopsy sample. Integration of the Illumina DRAGEN™ Bio-IT platform into the workflow will help to significantly reduce the turnaround time for complex data analysis for our clients.

He continued: “Almac sees this product as a key component in our broad range of biomarker solutions. From the pharma or biotech perspective, this platform will enable biomarker discovery and testing from non-invasive samples, rather than typical tumor biopsy based methods which can be challenging. We believe this large panel and powerful analysis platform will enable our clients to effectively develop exciting new biomarkers for novel therapeutics.”

The TSO 500 menu, including TSO 500, TSO 500 ctDNA [WL1] and TSO 500 HT offer Pierian Dx’s streamlined tertiary interpretation and reporting, from their Clinical Genomics Workspace (CGW) platform. Powered by a comprehensive Clinical Genomics Knowledgebase, CGW gives customers the ability to identify and categorize pathogenic variants, and build a final annotated interpretation report. The combination of Illumina’s comprehensive tumor profiling assays coupled with DRAGEN and PierianDx’s variant interpretation and reporting solutions provides customers with a seamless and semi-automated workflow, from sample to final report.

Read Chief Medical Officer, Phil Febbo’s, perspective on the power and promise of liquid biopsies here. For more information on TSO 500 ctDNA and TSO 500 High-Throughput, click here.

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About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Achieves Zero Landfill Target

davidkane — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 12:58:43 +0000

Global organisation announces ground-breaking environment milestone just in time for Earth Day

Craigavon, U.K., 22 April 2020 – The global pharmaceutical company, Almac Group, is pleased to announce this Earth Day 2020 that the organisation has achieved a ground-breaking environmental milestone by becoming a zero waste to landfill organisation at its global Headquarter campus in Craigavon. This was achieved by diverting all waste from landfill sites thereby significantly reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

To address the challenge of zero landfill, Almac identified a number of potential outlets for their wasted resources. Subsequently the company commenced a programme to educate key stakeholders about the materials that could be recycled or reused by charities and community organisations.

As a result, recycling and food waste bins were introduced across the Craigavon campus and its 3,500 employees based there encouraged to observe good waste management practices. All waste was either recycled, processed to produce biogas and fertiliser or burned to produce energy.

Wesley Best, Environment Manager at Almac Group, comments on the company’s environmental achievements: “As one of the world’s largest contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisations we were becoming more aware of the environmental impact caused by the needless disposal of waste going to landfill. The process has been carefully orchestrated thanks to the assistance of local contractors, companies and charities, who have helped us achieve our zero-waste goal.

He added: “We are grateful to all our employees who have committed to the initiative and hope that we can lead by example as a company who can make effective steps to prevent landfill waste.”

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About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Self-administered pain-killer saves patient time and NHS resources in accident and emergency departments

davidkane — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 14:21:45 +0000

Inhaled analgesic can save average patient 71 minutes for some common injuries compared to traditional therapies

Craigavon, N.I., Tuesday 31 March 2020 – An inhaled analgesic recently introduced to the UK can save more than one hour per appropriate procedure in hospital accident and emergency (A&E) departments on average – allowing more patients to be seen and potentially saving money for the NHS, a new study reveals.1

The drug, Penthrox▼ (methoxyflurane), has been widely used in Australia and New Zealand for many years, where it has been nicknamed “the Green Whistle” based on its appearance. However, it is used in fewer than half of UK A&E departments mainly due to staff unfamiliarity with the treatment.

Now, researchers from St Mary’s Hospital in London, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, have found the drug, which is self-administered under the supervision of a trained professional, can save 71 minutes on average in treating some A&E patients, compared to usual pain-killing techniques, with the added benefit of saving up to 50% on the cost of treatment per patient depending on the type of trauma injury.1

The results come at a time when the NHS is facing exceptional pressure. They demonstrate how the use of Penthrox as a first-line analgesic for appropriate patients may free up resources including staff and equipment required to treat patients compared with standard treatments.

Over the course of six months, the researchers, supported by A&E Consultant Dr George Bailey, looked at length of stay in A&E for patients with moderate or severe trauma pain who received methoxyflurane compared with those who received standard care.1

There were particular gains for patients suffering from a dislocated shoulder, where methoxyflurane patients saved around three hours in treatment time.1

The study, published today in the journal Advances in Therapy, also looked at costs between the different treatments and concluded that methoxyflurane may save up to 50% on the cost of treatment per patient depending on the type of trauma injury.1 The researchers explained that Penthrox can negate the need for procedural sedation, which requires an intravenous line into the arm, a resus bed, which are often not immediately available, and also requires the time of three staff to carry out the procedure. By contrast, Penthrox could be administered in a chair or on a trolley and only required one or, sometimes two, staff members depending on the procedure, as Penthrox is self-administered by the patient.

The researchers commented “Long waiting times, slow discharge times and overcrowding are affecting almost every emergency department in the UK, and the situation does not show any signs of significant improvement at present.”

They concluded “This evaluation demonstrated that the early use of methoxyflurane can positively impact length of stay within emergency departments and provide effective pain relief for patients.”

Commenting on the findings, Dr George Bailey said: “During our evaluation the use of Penthrox was well received by our staff and patients. Being able to offer early fast acting pain relief is essential and we were pleased to find the additional benefit of reducing time patients spent in A&E compared to standard care.”

Penthrox consists of a green-coloured tube containing a fixed measure of methoxyflurane and can be self-administered by patients. It can provide up to 60 minutes of pain relief per treatment.2 As a single-use product that requires no canisters, additional breathing masks or tubes and is disposed of after patient use via a sealable plastic bag, it greatly minimises the potential of inadvertently spreading infection across a department or between buildings. It is marketed in the UK by the pharmaceutical company Galen.

Notes to editors

About Penthrox▼ (methoxyflurane)
Penthrox (methoxyflurane) is a rapidly-acting inhaled analgesic agent which is self-administered under the supervision of a person trained in its administration.2 It has been proven to rapidly provide effective analgesia3,4 and potentially reduce patient length of stay in hospital settings.1

Methoxyﬂurane has been used extensively in Australia and New Zealand as emergency analgesia for more than 40 years and is licensed in a number of European countries for the emergency relief of moderate-to-severe pain associated with trauma in conscious adult patients.2

About Galen
Established in 1968, Galen is a privately owned pharmaceutical sales and marketing company, headquartered in Craigavon (Northern Ireland), with products in therapy areas including gastroenterology, pain management and dermatology.

About Almac Group
Galen is a member of the Almac Group. The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across, and beyond, the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally.

Almac’s innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture, product development and marketing.

Almac has a global reputation for excellence built over 50 years of client service, delivering expertise right across the drug development lifecycle and offering a tailored solution to each of our clients.

For further information please visit almacgroup.com.

References

Young L, Bailey G, McKinley J. Service evaluation of methoxyflurane versus standard care for overall management of patients with pain due to injury. Adv Ther 2020.
Penthrox (methoxyflurane) Inhalation Product Information. December 2018 https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1939/smpc.
Coffey F, Wright J, Hartshorn S et al. STOP!: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of methoxyflurane for the treatment of acute pain. Emerg Med J 2014; 31(8):613–618. https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2013-202909.
Mercadante S, Voza A, Serra S, et al. Analgesic Efficacy, Practicality and Safety of Inhaled Methoxyflurane Versus Standard Analgesic Treatment for Acute Trauma Pain in the Emergency Setting: A Randomised, Open-Label, Active-Controlled, Multicentre Trial in Italy (MEDITA). Adv Ther 2019; 36(11):3030-3046.

MAT-PEN-UK-000244 Date of Preparation: March 202

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Launch of innovative medical food provides a palatable new option for people diagnosed with rare metabolic disorder in the UK

admin — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 10:00:24 +0000

Launch of innovative medical food provides a palatable new option for people diagnosed with rare metabolic disorder in the UK

Craigavon, N.I., 13 Feb 2020 – An innovative medical food (food for special medical purpose) for people living with the rare, inherited metabolic disorder, phenylketonuria – or PKU as it is known for short – has been launched today in the UK. PKU EASY Microtabs provides a palatable alternative to other protein substitutes on the market, to help patients aged 8 and above manage the incurable condition and consume the protein they need each day.¹

Approximately 70 babies each year are born with PKU in the UK,² an inherited disorder which prevents the body from breaking down the proteins in foods to amino acids and if unmanaged, can lead to brain damage.³ Most patients in the UK are diagnosed at birth via newborn blood spot screening, also known as the heel-prick test, and are immediately started on treatment to reduce the risk of serious complications.³ Central to this is a lifelong, restrictive diet to limit the intake of one of the amino acids, phenylalanine, found in natural high-protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs and nuts. This is replaced with specially-designed medical foods to support the body’s everyday functions.^2,3

However, results from a 2018 survey of patients and caregivers in the UK found that the unpleasantness of available protein substitutes was one of the top three issues affecting both children and adults’ ability to follow their prescribed diet.⁴ PKU Easy Microtabs are small, innovative tablets with two distinct coatings that have been designed to overcome this challenge. The first delivers a palatable taste experience and prevents the tablet from dissolving before it hits the stomach, minimising acid reflux and bad breath; the second enables a slow release of amino acids into the body.⁵

“There’s no getting away from the fact that people living with PKU rely heavily on medical foods to supplement their diet in order to get the level of protein needed for good health. Yet we know from the community that many of the available options have an off-putting smell, taste bad and leave the patient with bad breath because of how they are digested. Today’s launch gives UK patients a more pleasant choice that other countries have already enjoyed the benefit of for years.” explained Simon Lawrence, Commercial Director of Galen Nordics (formerly known as POA Pharma).

PKU Easy Microtabs was first launched by POA Pharma across Scandinavia in 2011, but until now, was not available to UK patients via the NHS. Last month, Galen announced the completion of its acquisition and takeover of POA Pharma. Alongside its wider product portfolio, the move was intended to expand access to the company’s innovative nutritional therapies for people with PKU.

Dr Dennise Broderick, President & Managing Director Galen said: “Within one month of the completion of our acquisition of POA Pharma we are delighted to be able to bring this important new dietary management option to the 6,000 plus patients living with PKU across the UK. This is a condition that patients have to think about every single day of their lives to ensure they have the right levels of protein to function correctly.

Portability, taste and digestion of medical foods are all important considerations that we are proud to have addressed for the community with our novel microtabs.”

Notes to editors

About PKU Easy Microtabs¹

PKU Easy Microtabs are small coated microtabs containing non-Phe amino acids, for the dietary management of PKU for patients aged 8 and above. They are swallowed with liquid or eaten with cold foods, such as jam or fruit purée.

The dose is established in cooperation with a dietician and it should only be used under medical supervision. It is not meant to be the only source of nutrition.

About Galen

As a subsidiary of Galen Limited, Galen US also has a growing presence in select conditions such as those requiring topical anaesthesia. The company plans to continue expanding its portfolio with selected specialty products on an international basis. By combining innovation in product development with competitive pricing, Galen aims to work in partnership with healthcare professionals and patients to create real, long-term value. Visit: www.galen-pharma.com

About Almac Group

For further information please visit almacgroup.com.

References

PKU Easy Microtabs datasheet.
MacDonald A, Smith A, de Silva S, et al. The personal burden for caregivers of children with phenylketonuria: A cross-sectional study investigating time burden and costs in the UK. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Reports 2016;9:1-5.
Phenylketonuria. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/phenylketonuria/.
Ford S, O’Driscoll M, MacDonald A. Living with Phenylketonuria: Lessons from the PKU community. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Reports 2018;17:57–63.
Giovannini M et al. (2014) Randomized Controlled Trial of a Protein Substitute with Prolonged Release on the Protein Status of Children with Phenylketonuria, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 33:2, 103-110, DOI:1080/07315724.2013.857281

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Northern Ireland’s STEM Excellence Celebrated

admin — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 09:00:37 +0000

Hans Sloane & Sloane McClay Award nominations reach all time high

Craigavon, N.I., 10 Jan 2020 – Nine top Northern Ireland science students, and their schools, have been recognised for their outstanding excellence through the Hans Sloane Medal and the Sloane McClay Awards.

The Hans Sloane Memorial Fund Trust, in partnership with National Museums NI, was established in 1960 to commemorate the life and work of the celebrated Killyleagh physician, scientist and collector. In 2017, and in collaboration with Almac Group, the Hans Sloane Trustees launched the Sloane McClay award in memory of Sir Allen McClay, the late Founder and Chairman of global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, the Almac Group.

The Hans Sloane Medal is awarded to the top student obtaining the highest combined marks in ‘A’ level biology, chemistry and physics. To augment the Hans Sloane Medal, the Sloane McClay (Triple) Award is presented to the top student obtaining the highest combined marks in GCSE biology, chemistry, physics and maths. This was enhanced in September 2019 with the addition of a new Sloane McClay (Double) Award offered to students studying double award science and maths.

In September, school principals from across the province were invited to nominate their top performing ‘A’ level and GCSE science & maths students. This year saw a record number of nominations with 142 individuals put forward for consideration for all three awards.

Winning students, and their families, attended a prestigious awards ceremony in the Ulster Museum on Thursday 9th January 2020, to recognise their individual achievements. Professor Tom Moody, VP Technology Development and Commercialisation, Almac Group, delivered an engaging lecture entitled “Science of our DNA” before presenting the individual and school awards.

The winner of the 2019 Hans Sloane Medal, certificate and cheque for £500 was Claire Whiteside. Her former school, Strathearn, Belfast, also received a Hans Sloane Medal and framed certificate as recognition for excellence in teaching. Claire is now studying Medicine at Queen’s University, Belfast.

Second place certificate and a cheque for £300 was presented to Aoibheann Quail from St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel. Sarah O’Callaghan from Thornhill College, Derry received a certificate and £150 cheque for third place.

The Sloane McClay (Triple) award first prize went to Francesca Wilson from Our Lady & St. Patrick’s College, Knock while the newly introduced Sloane McClay (Double) top award was presented to Larne Grammar School’s Isaac Holst. Francesca and Isaac received the Sloane McClay trophy, certificate and cheque for £250 each while their respective schools received a replica trophy and framed certificates to celebrate their teaching excellence.

Katie House from Foyle College (Triple Award Science and Maths) and Conor Gallagher (Double Award Science and Maths) at St. Columb’s College received 2^nd prize for their outstanding achievements at GCSE level. They were presented with a cheque for £150 and a certificate.

Third prize for the Triple award was presented to James Craig from Ballymena Academy and the accompanying Double award went to Seadhna Campbell from St. Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon. Each received a £50 cheque and a certificate.

All winning students also have the opportunity to carry out structured, informative and valuable work experience at Almac’s facilities in Northern Ireland offering them a chance to see first-hand what it is like to work in a leading global pharmaceutical contract manufacturing and development organisation.

Tom commented: “As a business employing over 5,600 individuals globally, our ongoing success depends on the talent and skills of our most important asset, our people, it is therefore crucial that we continue to invest in the next generation. Almac is strongly committed to recognising and rewarding achievements in STEM and our ongoing partnership with the Hans Sloane Trust is the perfect platform which enables us to do just that. I would like to congratulate all of today’s worthy recipients of the Hans Sloane medals and the Sloane McClay awards and wish them every success for their future.”

Dr Sally Montgomery, Chairman Hans Sloane Memorial Fund, commented: ‘The achievements of this year’s nominations have been exceptional and is testament to the teachers’ and students’ ability and hard work. We would like to extend our congratulations to all the students nominated this year. The partnership with Almac and the National Museums ensures that we continue to highlight the importance of STEM to the wonderful achievements of these students.’

To find out more about the Hans Sloane and Sloane McClay awards, visit almacgroup.com/sloanemcclay.

ENDS

About Sir Hans Sloane

The Hans Sloane (Memorial Fund) Trust, in partnership with National Museums NI, was established in 1960 to commemorate the life and work of the notable Killyleagh surgeon and collector, Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753). Sloane promoted inoculation against smallpox, the use of quinine (a treatment for malaria) and the health-giving properties of drinking chocolate mixed with milk. Sloane’s collection became the foundation of the British Museum.

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Galen, an Almac Company, announces Completion of Multi-Million Pound POA Pharma Acquisition

admin — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 05:00:46 +0000

Move adds substantial new therapeutic areas and territories to Galen’s reach

Craigavon, N.I., 8 Jan 2020 – Galen, the privately owned global pharmaceutical sales and marketing company, today announced the completion of a multi-million pound acquisition and takeover of boutique healthcare company, POA Pharma. The move enables Galen to significantly expand its global reach and product portfolio in exciting new therapy areas, such as rare metabolic disease.

Headquartered in Sweden, with additional facilities located across the Nordic region and North America, POA Pharma currently represents 16 producers from 10 countries and retains a strong portfolio of products and an extensive network worldwide. Galen first signed a distribution agreement with POA Pharma in April 2016, allowing the company to market and sell POA Pharma’s metabolic product portfolio in the UK and Ireland. The acquisition is an extremely significant new phase of Galen’s growth, as it extends its global footprint into the Nordic territory and Northern Europe.

As part of the takeover, Simon Lawrence, who has held various senior management positions with Galen over 33 years, has been appointed Commercial Director – Nordics and will be based at the POA facility in Copenhagen. He will oversee operations in the region and grow the team to reflect demand in line with the global Galen strategy.

Simon Lawrence commented: “Galen’s long-heritage and expertise in delivering valued medicines to the people that need them most, coupled with POA Pharma’s important portfolio, means we now have the opportunity to improve the lives of more people affected by a variety of diseases on a truly global scale. Particularly for the underserved, rare, phenylketonuria (PKU) population, who have limited treatment options available to them, today’s completion is a welcome step towards better access to life-saving nutritional therapies across Galen’s extensive distribution network and beyond.”

Dr Dennise Broderick, President & Managing Director Galen added: “This acquisition is highly complementary to our established business and marks a key milestone in our strategic global growth plans. The founders of POA have created a highly successful business and we look forward to incorporating and growing the reputable company further as part of the Galen organisation. This acquisition will enable Galen to offer a wider range of products to our customers, healthcare professionals and patients around the world.”

Notes to editors

About POA

POA Pharma is a market oriented Boutique Healthcare Company present in 9 competence areas with offices in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and US. The home market is the Nordic countries were POA represents 16 pharmaceutical producers from 10 countries. Our export is based on POA proprietary products, classified as food for specific medical purposes, products that are sold in more than 40 countries. www.poapharma.com

About Galen

Established in 1968, Galen is a privately owned pharmaceutical sales and marketing company, headquartered in Craigavon (Northern Ireland), with products in therapy areas including gastroenterology, urology, female health, pain management and mental health.

As a subsidiary of Galen Limited, Galen US also has a growing presence in select conditions requiring topical anaesthesia and Central Nervous System disorders. The company plans to continue expanding its portfolio with selected specialty products on an international basis. By combining innovation in product development with competitive pricing, Galen aims to work in partnership with healthcare professionals and patients to create real, long-term value. Visit: www.galen-pharma.com

About Almac Group

For further information please visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group’s Comprehensive STEM Programme Wins “Innovation in Sponsorship” Award

admin — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 14:01:56 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 6 December 2019 –Almac Group, a global contract development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to announce it has won the “Innovation in Sponsorship” award during this year’s Irish Sponsorship Awards ceremony in Dublin.

This award, given annually, recognises “a distinct new method or unique approach to a sponsorship activation, partnership or initiative”. Almac Group was awarded this honour for the organisation’s unique and innovative £1 million sponsorship agreement with W5, the interactive discovery centre in Belfast. The partnership, a first of its kind in Ireland, has resulted in a comprehensive STEM learning programme based at W5 that aims to improve access to STEM education and promote exciting career possibilities available through pursuing STEM subjects.

As a business employing over 5,600 individuals globally, Almac’s success depends on the talent and skills of its most important asset— its people. Understanding that it is therefore critical to engage as many pupils as possible to cultivate future talent, a partnership with W5 was launched in 2018 to showcase the organisation and greatly expand access to STEM programming to students, teachers and parents throughout Ireland.

From its onset, this included the construction of an interactive, bespoke physical exhibition for W5’s, ‘Med-Lab,” which utilises 3D technology to transport visitors into Almac’s laboratories and production environments. Through immersion into Almac’s business, visitors learn about the different stages in the medicine-making process that the organisation supports globally.

To further the impact of its exhibit, Almac’s sponsorship also included the launch of a STEM Pathway® Programme at W5. The programme, which began in October 2019, includes a series of unique, exciting and interactive workshops at W5 for post-primary schools. These events, tailored for each of the Key Stages from Year 8-14, provide students and teachers with the opportunity to speak with Almac staff, participate in practical demonstrations and get involved in hands-on activities.

Commenting, Kevin Reid, VP Global Marketing Almac Group said, “Through our unique sponsorship agreement with W5, Almac’s capability to fulfil its mission to reach, educate and engage pupils, parents and teachers from all over Ireland is greatly enhanced. Through sponsorship of Med-Lab and creation of a bespoke exhibit and associated education programme, Almac has built a distinctly hands-on, exciting method for pupils to learn about their health and pharmaceutical development, as well as a sneak peek into the operations occurring right at the heart of Almac, one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers.”

Since launching in 2012, the Irish Sponsorship awards have recognised industry leaders who leverage the sponsorship medium as a key strategic marketing channel through which to deliver business and organisational success. The winners were revealed at a Gala Awards dinner on 5 December at Croke Park, Dublin where Dr Frances Weldon, Almac Group’s STEM Outreach Manager received the award.

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The company has a global reputation for excellence built over 50 years of client service, delivering expertise right across the drug development lifecycle and offering a tailored solution to each of our clients.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

almacgroup.com

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Almac Group £35 million Brexit Solution Complete

admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 08:22:42 +0000

EU distribution centre attains successful HPRA inspection

Craigavon, N.I., 21 Oct 2019 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has announced the completion of the final phase of its £35 million custom-built European Campus in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. This site provides uninterrupted service provision to its global clients regardless of the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

Almac first announced acquisition of its new European Campus in early 2017 as part of its global expansion strategy creating over 100 new jobs.

Twelve months later, the company announced further investment at the campus to significantly increase the Group’s footprint and provide an expanded presence within the European Union in preparation for Brexit.

This latest milestone follows Almac Clinical Services’ (Ireland) successful completion of a Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) inspection of its bespoke 79,000ft2 EU distribution centre for clinical trial supply at the campus. Regulatory approvals are now in place in this new facility to enable GMP receipt & storage, QP certification, Just-in-Time labelling and global logistics.

In addition to the distribution centre, the European Headquarter campus also houses a state-of-the-art QC laboratory and dedicated packaging facility for commercial drug products operated by Almac Pharma Services (Ireland) which received HPRA approval in October 2018.

The combined services offered from the campus complement the existing clinical supply and drug product development operations provided from Almac’s Global HQ site in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, which is just 40 minutes, by road, from Dundalk.

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group said, “I am pleased to note that we have made significant progress on our global growth strategy and I am proud to announce the completion of the final phase of our new European HQ campus in Ireland. Our global clients expect, and deserve, certainty and clarity as we prepare for Brexit and these facilities offers just that. This has been an extremely ambitious project and represents a key milestone in our success as we continue to strengthen and develop our capacity, capabilities and scale to meet growing client demand. We look forward to further developing this campus, and growing our team in Dundalk, as we continue to provide best-in-class services across the globe.”

This year, Almac reported a £17 million rise in turnover at £548 million for 2017-18 whilst average global employee figures increased by 8% to 4,798 for the same period. The Group continues to expand globally as it experiences increased demand for its wide range of services.

More about Almac European HQ campus can be viewed here.

#ENDS#

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Almac Group Hosts Montgomery County Students for National Manufacturing Day 2019

admin — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 12:30:10 +0000

Souderton, PA- 07 Oct 2019 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, is proud to announce the organization’s participation in MFG Day 2019.

Almac hosted more than 30 students and educators from North Montco County Technical Career Center’s Mechatronics class on October 4 as part of an effort to highlight modern manufacturing—a vibrant and growing industry that offers diverse career opportunities in all sectors. The event showcased the organization’s contract manufacturing business based at the company’s US headquarters in Souderton which currently employs over 1,300 people. Three interactive tours were provided for the North Montco students enabling them to see, first hand, Almac’s operations, production environments, and unique facility components and technologies.

MFG Day is an annual series of events held in communities across the country, and is supported by thousands of manufacturers who open their doors to students, teachers, parents and community members for tours and interactive sessions. The goal is to change perceptions of manufacturing and highlight the high-tech and innovative companies that are solving tomorrow’s challenges today.

“North Montco Technical Career Center is pleased to participate in National MFG Day 2019 with Almac,” said Gina Pardovich, Administrative Director, North Montco Technical Career Center. “North Montco has a long history of training students for the manufacturing industry. The students who participated in this event are able to benefit from innovative technology in the training environment enabling them to become skilled technicians ready to enter the workforce, or, preparing them for post-secondary education as engineers.”

“The MFG Day initiative allows manufacturing companies, like ours, to showcase to students what manufacturing looks like, and the impact a manufacturing-related career can have on a diverse number of industries,” said Rich Moore, US Director of Human Resources, Almac Group. “We are proud to highlight the innovative work we are doing here in Souderton to advance human health and hope our event inspires the next generation of workforce talent.”

First held in 2012, MFG Day is now organized by The Manufacturing Institute—the education and workforce partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. The kick-off events around the country and month-long initiative gives manufacturers the opportunity to address the skills gaps they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry as a whole. Learn more about MFG Day and the significant impact this event has across the nation here.

#ENDS#

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 5600 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia. Click here to view our facilities.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Participates in Global Clinical Supply BlockChain Working Group

admin — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 07:00:08 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 17 September 2019 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is pleased to announce its participation in the Global Clinical Supply BlockChain working group (GCSBWG).

Given how well-suited the BlockChain technology is for supply chains where numerous organisations must handle sensitive information, the multi-stakeholder group, spearheaded by Biogen and Pfizer, convened to explore whether technology could address the growing demands of clinical trials.

With Phase 1 of the GSCWG complete, the group has published a whitepaper entitled “Transforming Pharmaceutical Clinical Supply Messaging with BlockChain” which outlines the programme’s highlights to date. A proof-of-concept iOS mobile application called “KitChain MVP” has also been built upon a hyperleger fabric permissioned BlockChain infrastructure which stimulates discussion amongst clinical supply chain participants. The ultimate aim of the working group is to envision a messaging and notification platform which can support the performance requirements of the whole clinical supply chain.

Almac’s Mark Hanly, Strategic Business Analysis Manager and Mark McColgan, Software Development Manager, will continue to work alongside a diverse group of global academia, pharmaceutical companies and other Contract Manufacturing Organisations through the next phases of the working group and contribute pertinent insight and debate. With this group there was significant potential to enhance the depth and breadth of knowledge on how BlockChain could potentially be applied in the industry.

Andrew Hillis, Vice President and Group Head of Information Services, Almac Group, commented:
“The rapid adoption of BlockChain technology, coupled with its clear applicability to the clinical supply chain, make this project extremely timely and relevant to meeting the future challenges our industry. We’re privileged to contribute our experiences and perspectives as one of the world’s largest global clinical supply providers to this endeavour that if successful, will undoubtedly have a major impact on clinical sites and ultimately, patients.”

ENDS

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over 50 years and now employs over 5600 highly skilled personnel.

Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with 17 operations across Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Invests in Future Employees through Apprenticeship Schemes

admin — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:58:53 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 17^th September 2019 – Almac Group, the Craigavon based global pharmaceutical contract and manufacturing company, has concentrated efforts to encourage young people to continue further studies of STEM related subjects through its dedicated outreach strategy.

As part of its commitment the company is continuing to invest in its employees’ futures through funding and supporting Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLA) in both analytical chemistry and computing. Over the past four years, a team of experts, from various departments across the Almac Group, has worked closely with the Southern Regional College (SRC) to contribute valuable industry input to its HLA curriculum and help shape their popular and beneficial ‘earn as you learn’ programmes.

This year Almac is celebrating the recent success of its first HLA Graduates of the Applied Industrial Sciences (Chemical Sciences Pathway) programme – a two-year, part-time course which commenced in 2016. Students Maura Donnelly from Coalisland & Michelle McKinstry from Lisnadill, Armagh, are both employed as Analytical Apprentices at Almac’s global Headquarters in Craigavon. Throughout the course they worked four days a week and used their enhanced understanding of theoretical techniques drawn from their studies to better develop and troubleshoot methods for Almac’s global clients.

Maura was also recognised for excelling in her studies by being awarded this year’s BT Award for Excellence. This prestigious prize is awarded to the student who is studying a course with a blended learning aspect and has worked consistently and enthusiastically throughout the duration of the course.

Dr Frances Weldon, STEM Outreach Manager, Almac said: “The content covered in the HLA courses is highly relevant to the work performed within many parts of Almac and our Higher Level Apprentices benefit greatly from the additional workplace learning and mentorship they receive in techniques and sector-specific practices as part of their training.

“We are only too proud to have been involved in the development of high quality career pathways in both computing and chemical sciences and to have the students work with us as Apprentices during their studies. As a company, we benefit greatly from the increased knowledge and applied learning introduced to the business, whilst enabling the students and graduates to progress and develop their own career from within. Well done to Michelle and Maura on their achievements and we wish them the best for the next stage of their education.”

Both Maura and Michelle now progress to Level 8 – BSc Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ulster University.

ENDS

Photo caption: L-R:– Tanya Graham, Analytical Manager, Almac, Michelle McKinstry, Maura Donnelly & Ann Heslip, Analytical Technical Leader at Almac.

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation which has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 5600 highly skilled personnel across 18 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

The post Almac Group Invests in Future Employees through Apprenticeship Schemes appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group’s Position Remains Unchallenged in Ulster Business Top 100 Listings

admin — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 07:19:56 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 07 Aug 2019 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is privileged to be included in the top ten list of “Ulster Business Top 100 companies” for the second consecutive year.

The news comes as the Group’s figures for year ending 30 September 2018 reported a £17 million rise in revenue at £548 million with pre-tax profits recorded at £27 million.

In a supplementary table listing the most valuable firms in Northern Ireland, the global organisation, now with a tangible net worth of £285.7 million, was recorded in eighth position while it was listed as the second highest employer which had increased in 2017/18 by over 8% to 4,798.

Kevin Stephens, Almac Group Finance Director, commented: “As we celebrate 50 years of success I am delighted to see Almac highly ranked in the Ulster Business Top 100 companies once again. We are committed to providing our growing client base with the most innovative and efficient service in our marketplace and achieving recognition in this listing, published by Ulster Business, is testament to the continued dedication and contribution of our ever increasing global and diverse employee base.”

The Ulster Business Top 100 list is sponsored by A&L Goodbody and uses a combination of data sourced from both Dun & Bradstreet’s information database and Companies House. It incorporates the results of Northern Ireland based companies, either Northern Ireland registered, or when a significant portion of their business is driven and transacted through the province.

Michael Neill, head of office, A&L Goodbody Belfast, said: “The results of this resilience and determination speak for themselves in this year’s Top 100 rankings, with collective turnover increasing by 9.4% in the 12 months to £24.8bn. While many companies are long-standing players and remain unchallenged at the top end of the rankings, it is positive to see businesses continue to rise up the ranks, year-on-year.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over 50 years and now employs over 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with 17 operations across Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Promotes High Flying STEM Careers at Airwaves Portrush

admin — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 13:27:40 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 26 July 2019 – From 31st August to 1st September, a team of STEM (science, technology, engineering & maths) Ambassadors from global pharmaceutical and development organisation, Almac Group, will encourage attendees of all ages to participate in a range of fun, interactive science experiments at this year’s Airwaves Portrush event.

Visitors to the Almac exhibition will have the opportunity to learn more about the wide and varied range of careers available across its global sites and speak to employees about their own career paths. The more adventurous amongst the attendees can get involved in hands-on experiments that have been specifically designed to demonstrate key scientific principles used daily by chemists and biologists in Almac’s laboratories– including creating elephant toothpaste and, everyone’s favourite, making slime!.

The exhibition will take place as part of the Airwaves event’s “STEM Village”, which was introduced as part of the event programming in 2016 to showcase a variety of employers and educators that promote STEM education to visiting crowds. This year, attendance is expected to exceed 150,000.

Frances Weldon, STEM Outreach Manager Almac, said, “It’s our priority to meet and expose as many young people as we can to exciting career pathways in STEM, and exhibiting at the STEM Village provides a great opportunity to engage with many who may be interested in pursuing a STEM career. Our hands-on experiments aim to demonstrate scientific principles used every day at Almac and to show students how fun and engaging STEM subjects are when observed as real world biology and chemistry applications. We look forward to meeting people of all ages at Airwaves Portrush’s STEM Village!”

Experiments planned for the exhibition include:
• Creating ‘elephant toothpaste’
• pH experiments using every day household products
• Separation of dye pigments using paper chromatography
• Making slime
• Strawberry DNA extraction
• Indigo carmine traffic light experiment

#ENDS#

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’
The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Arran Chemical Company forms Unique Industry – Academia Collaboration with Athlone Institute of Technology

admin — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 10:19:03 +0000

Four year PhD scholarship will deliver novel, greener chemical synthesis modalities

Athlone, Ireland, 08 Jul 2019 – Arran Chemical Company, a member of the Almac Group, has embarked on a unique collaboration project with Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) to support a four year PhD programme which will see the use of biocatalysis in the asymmetric synthesis of chiral amines and diamines.

Leading the project is Lauryn Bracken who was the 2019 recipient of AIT’s President’s Doctoral Scholarship award. Lauryn, from Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland, recently completed a BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Science at AIT and will commence the project in October. She will be jointly supervised by Dr. Noreen Morris, Lecturer in Chemistry and Dr. Sean Reidy, Lecturer in Chemistry, AIT, in collaboration with Professor Tom Moody, VP of Technology Development and Commercialisation, Almac Sciences & Arran Chemical Company and Dr. Peter Cairns, Technical Manager, Arran Chemical Company.

The project will focus on greener and more economic alternatives to chemical production methods for the synthesis of chiral amines and diamines. Approximatively 80% of Active Pharmaceutical Intermediates (APIs) contain groups derived from amines. It is therefore essential that new methodologies are explored to expedite their synthesis.

The basic concept of the project is to displace multistep chemical routes currently used for the synthesis of chiral amines and diamines to simpler, lower cost and less polluting enzymatic processes. Biocatalysis offers an attractive approach for synthesis resulting in greener processes and real benefits for both the environment and overall cost of goods. General benefits of enzyme chemistry include use of water as a safe solvent, lower temperatures and selectivity that is unachievable by chemical methods.

AIT has established strong links with Arran Chemical Company over many years and, together, have carried out a variety of projects on the synthesis and separation of amines. This project has the backing of Professor Moody, who commented: “We are delighted to be supporting AIT once again and look forward to working together over the next four years. Almac will supply the college with all the necessary biocatalysts needed for this investigation and, of course, guidance and expertise from our specialists in this field. We wish Lauryn every success in her PhD project.”

Dr Morris stated “This project has the exciting prospect of exposing both the student and supervisors to new and exciting areas of research. A collaboration with Arran Chemical Company, an established chemical company with a wealth of experience which works with clients globally, will raise the profile of Athlone Institute of Technology as a base of R&D excellence and lead to further opportunities for collaborative research in the future.”

#End#

About Arran Chemical Company
Arran Chemical Company – a member of the Almac Group – is a fine chemical company specialising in the manufacture of products for pharmaceutical and health care, flavour/fragrance, personal care, and other specialised chemical and industrial applications.

We are specialists in chiral chemistry using both chemocatalysis and biocatalysis technologies, but also have practical operating experience over a wide range of modern synthetic reactions. We offer our clients superior chemical solutions with a high rate of success.

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac McKervey Award Presented for Excellence in Chemistry

admin — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 12:49:57 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 01 July 2019 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has today announced this year’s recipient of the ‘Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry’.

Prof Tom Moody, VP Technology Development and Commercialisation, Almac Sciences, presented the award to Jonathan during the Queen’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Graduation awards ceremony on 28^th June. Jonathan, who is from Richhill, also received a £1,500 bursary towards his tuition fees and a 12 month placement with Almac to gain practical industry experience and mentorship.

Prof Moody said: “I am pleased to present today’s Almac McKervey Award to Jonathan in memory of our esteemed colleague and friend Tony. Jonathan has demonstrated exemplary performance throughout his degree to date and I hope, that in receiving this recognition today, he will progress to a long and rewarding career in chemistry. Many congratulations.”

Upon receiving the award, Jonathan said: “I am thrilled to accept this prestigious award from Almac and Queen’s. The practical experience I will gain during my work placement at Almac will enable me to deepen my knowledge and understanding of organic chemistry as I learn from the experts. Professor McKervey was such an inspiration to students and I am humbled to receive an award in his name.”

Dr Gary Sheldrake, Deputy Head of School, said: “Our connection with Almac and Professor McKervey in both research and teaching go back many years to the very roots of the company. We are delighted that Almac has decided to remember Tony by establishing this prestigious Award and we wish to extend our congratulations to Jonathan as well for this recognition of his achievement.”

Following the ceremony, Jonathan’s name was added to the perpetual commemorative wall plaque at the David Keir building at Queen’s- a replica of which is displayed at Almac’s global headquarter facility in Craigavon.

#END#

Notes to Editor

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Reports Further Growth During Period of Significant Global Expansion

admin — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 12:00:56 +0000

2017-18 figures record turnover increased by £17 million with 8% growth in global workforce

Craigavon, N.I., 3 Jun 2019 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has reported a £17 million rise in turnover from £531 million to £548 million for 2017-18. Pre-tax profits were recorded at £27 million whilst average employee figures increased by 8% from 4,407 to 4,798 for the same period. The figures were recorded in Almac’s annual report with its results for the year ending 30 September 2018.

Throughout this period, the Group made a number of significant investments including further development of its European Campus in Dundalk, Ireland, a multimillion pound expansion of capacity at its site in Athlone in addition to further investment at its existing facilities in the UK, US and Asia.

Global expansion continued with the acquisition of Athlone-based, BioClin Laboratories, which significantly increased its global analytical services capabilities.

Delivering upon its outreach strategy, Almac also has committed to invest over £1 million through a partnership agreement with W5 in Belfast, Ireland’s interactive science centre, to enhance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) knowledge and understanding among the next generation.

Alan Armstrong, Group CEO, commented: “Almac experienced yet another strong year in 2018 with our key financial and global employee metrics increasing. We made significant progress on our ambitious growth strategy with the acquisition of BioClin Laboratories and the continued investment in our existing global facilities, in addition to increased headcount. With 100% of our profits reinvested into the business, we will continue to innovate and improve our wide range of services and products to ensure we provide the premium solutions our global client base relies on.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over 50 years and now employs over 5600 highly skilled personnel.

Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with 17 operations across Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

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Queen’s researchers work to improve maternal health in the developing world

admin — Wed, 29 May 2019 07:00:41 +0000

Craigavon, UK, 28 May 2019

A grant from the McClay Foundation will enable Queen’s researchers to work with clinicians to offer fast diagnostic testing to prevent meningitis and sepsis in maternity wards for the first time in Malawi.

Maternal health is a huge issue in developing countries where 99 per cent of all maternal and neonatal deaths occur ¹. The neonatal mortality rate is also much higher in Africa, at four times higher than that of developed regions².

Women and babies die as a result of complications during, and following, pregnancy and childbirth, including infection.

Queen’s University Belfast in collaboration with HiberGene Diagnostics and Belfast Health & Social Care Trust have developed an innovative rapid test for GBS using LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification) technology. The HiberGene test can identify GBS with very high accuracy within one hour, so it can be used during labour – a strategy called intrapartum testing. Intrapartum is considered the most accurate time to test as it prevents unnecessary antibiotic use or missed GBS infections. The test is also simple enough to use as a “near patient” test, in a small lab or room next to a ward, without the need for extensive laboratory training. Queen’s researchers will work with trained clinicians in a number of maternity wards in Malawi, to use the LAMP test.

Principal Investigator Professor Mike Shields from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast explains: “In developing countries, where access to laboratory testing is sparse, these tests could have a huge positive impact on the health of mothers and their babies. Detecting the GBS within the hour will mean that GBS positive women can be identified and given antibiotics to prevent transmission of GBS during delivery that could lead to serious infections including meningitis, sepsis and death.”

Around 25 per cent of pregnant women are colonised with the bacterium Group B Streptococcus (GBS).³ The majority of pregnant women who carry this bacterium will never be aware. However, it can be fatal in instances when it is passed to babies during childbirth.

Although this is extremely rare in the developed world, in developing countries where there are many risk factors including inadequate services, distance and poverty, the prevalence of serious GBS infection to new-borns is much higher.

GBS can be difficult to detect as the mother who carries the bacteria often shows no symptoms. In many developed countries, testing for GBS in pregnancy is carried out two to four weeks before delivery, to enable GBS positive women to be given antibiotics to prevent transmission of the infection to the baby during childbirth. The turnaround for current tests is 48 hours, which means testing during labour is not feasible.

In the developing world, testing that requires a laboratory can be prohibitively expensive and very difficult to access in practical terms, particularly in rural settings. In reality, conventional testing for GBS is not available in most developing countries, meaning proven strategies to prevent GBS transmission cannot be used.

¹ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality

²UNICEF. Neonatal Mortality. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-survival/neonatal-mortality/. Published 2017. Accessed May 9, 2019.

³ Support GBS. What is group b Strep? https://gbss.org.uk/info-support/pregnancy-and-birth/what-is-group-b-strep/. Published 2019. Accessed May 8, 2019.

The McClay Foundation has supported this project enabling clinicians in the developing world to detect this life-threatening pathogen within an hour at a maternity ward using the HiberGene GBS test.

ENDS

About Almac Group
A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Almac Group appoints Dr Sheryl Foster as Vice President of Quality

admin — Tue, 28 May 2019 08:55:43 +0000

Craigavon, UK, 28 May 2019 – Almac Sciences, a member of the Almac Group, today announced the appointment of Dr Sheryl Foster to the position of Vice President of Quality, reporting to Managing Director & President, Dr Stephen Barr.

Dr Foster will assume overall responsibility for global Quality Assurance across the Almac Sciences’ sites across Europe and the US driving the strategy and policy for quality excellence.

In addition to her direct quality responsibilities, Sheryl will also participate as a member of the Almac Sciences’ senior leadership team assisting with strategy development and implementation aimed at driving further growth and of the global business.

With extensive quality experience gained over the last 20+ years Sheryl is a highly respected quality professional. Her most recent roles were as a Product Quality leader for GSK in Singapore and most recently as Director of Quality for Avara’s API Manufacturing site in the UK. Prior to this, Sheryl worked in a number of quality roles in the UK, China and Australia.

Following this appointment, Almac Sciences’ current VP Quality Operations, Dr John Robson, will focus his attention on its Analytical services offering as the VP of Analytical Operations.

Dr Barr, commented on Sheryl’s appointment: “Sheryl is a highly experienced quality manager with a wealth of expertise, understanding and industry insight which will prove instrumental in the development of our business as we continue to expand globally. We are delighted to welcome her to our senior management team.”

ENDS

About Almac Group
A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The post Almac Group appoints Dr Sheryl Foster as Vice President of Quality appeared first on Almac.

Inspiring the Next Generation Almac Group Promotes STEM Careers at W5

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 12:00:18 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 18 Feb 2019 – Following the recent launch of W5’s new interactive MED-Lab, in association with Craigavon based Almac Group, year 10 students from post primary schools across Northern Ireland were invited to attend a hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) careers event run in partnership with Almac and the STEM Ambassadors Programme.

The event, run as part of the NI Science Festival 2019 over two days on February 15th and 28th, gives 400 young people an insight into the pharmaceutical industry and the breadth of careers it supports through presentations and speed networking opportunities with STEM Ambassadors from both Almac and QUB.

Dr Frances Weldon, STEM Outreach Manager Almac, said, “Almac is dedicated to sharing its passion about advancing knowledge and interest in STEM subjects to as wide an audience as possible. We want to show young people, in particular, not only the many pathways into a career in Health and Life sciences but also how varied and exciting that career can be. By enabling the students to meet and hear from our employees in a fun and informal way we hope to stimulate the next generation of budding scientists, engineers, mathematicians and technologists.”

MED-Lab aims to enable STEM knowledge and understanding and among W5 visitors of all ages through interactive learning. The only exhibition of its kind in Ireland MED-Lab gives visitors the ability to explore our bodies and enables them to get hands-on with some intriguing interactive exhibits, learning how scientists at Almac discover and develop medicines and diagnostic services tests for patients globally.

ENDS

About Almac Group
A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. Its innovative services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The post Inspiring the Next Generation Almac Group Promotes STEM Careers at W5 appeared first on Almac.

W5 Opens New MED-Lab Exhibition

admin — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 12:33:24 +0000

Created in association with Almac Group, Ireland’s first attraction to explore human body unveiled

MED-Lab, a new interactive medical themed exhibition area at W5, takes visitors of all ages on an extraordinary and fun journey of discovery into the human body.

The only exhibition of its kind in Ireland, it offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the amazing systems that keep our bodies alive and, by using advanced imaging technologies, see inside the body.

MED-Lab gives us the ability to explore our bodies and enables visitors to get hands on with some intriguing interactive exhibits, learning how the scientists at Almac Group discover and develop medicines and diagnostic tests for patients globally.

This exciting new attraction has been developed by W5 in consultation with local audiences and is funded by the Inspiring Science Fund – a partnership between the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome. Additional support was awarded by the Almac Group.

The Inspiring Science Fund is a £30 million capital scheme to support science centres across the UK, helping them rethink what they do and what they offer to the public.

Eric Porter, Chair of the Odyssey Trust said: “Enhancing education and scientific knowledge, MED-Lab is an innovative and intriguing investigation into our most prized possession – our body! We are delighted to unveil the first of eight new innovative zones in W5, which we know will be hugely popular with our visitors.”

Alan Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of the Almac Group said: “It is a real privilege to be partners in such an exciting project. As a business employing over 5,000 individuals globally, our success depends on the talent and skills of our most important asset, our people, it is therefore crucial that we continue to invest in the next generation. Almac is dedicated to advancing knowledge and interest in STEM subjects and sharing our rich history and work carried out in the medicine development lifecycle for patients globally. We hope that through MED-Lab combined and with our long term STEM Outreach strategy thousands of young people will be inspired to seek out careers and realise the potential opportunities that exist across Almac.”

MED-Lab aims to enhance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) knowledge and understanding among the next generation of budding scientists through interactive learning. It is now open to W5 visitors inviting them on an interactive and fun learning journey through the human body, with some amazing reveals such as a human bone can be four times stronger than concrete and that there are more than 100,000 Kilometres of blood vessels in the human body.

The new exhibition completed phase one of a refurbishment which will maintain W5’s position as a world class science and discovery centre attracting tourists and people of all ages from Northern Ireland and beyond. In addition to the £1m investment provided by Almac Group, W5’s new Health and Life Sciences partner as part of a 10 year agreement, there is a £4.5m capital investment package for W5 refurbishment during 2019-2020. £3m funding was awarded through the Inspiring Science Fund and a further £1.5m invested by the Odyssey Trust.

To find out more about MED-Lab and W5 visit www.w5online.co.uk

Ends

For more information contact Teri Kelly at teri@kellypr.co.uk or on 07957142915 or Gary Kelly at gary@kellypr.co.uk or on 07581282723.

Notes to editors

About W5

W5 opened on the 30th March 2001 and has attracted over 3.5 million visitors. W5 has over 250 interactive exhibits spread over five levels. The building also contains Climbit – a multi-story climbing structure, Space-base – a multi-sensory activity zone, a lecture theatre, a temporary exhibition space and ancillary facilities including a shop and café. During 2017/18 W5 attracted 270,000 visitors, which included 30,000 pupils on formal education school visits.

About Almac Group

Inspiring Science Fund

The Inspiring Science Fund is a £30 million capital scheme to support science centres across the UK, helping them rethink what they do and what they offer to the public.

The aims of the fund are to revitalise the offer of existing science centres through capital development, such as new exhibition spaces and learning centres, and the opportunity to develop meaningful and inclusive engagement with under-served and underrepresented audiences, engaging and inspiring new visitors. This opportunity to refresh how science centres are operating will lead to more sustainable business models and contribute to science centre sector development through shared learning.

The scheme is co-funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome.

Wellcome

Wellcome exists to improve health by helping great ideas to thrive. We support researchers, we take on big health challenges, we campaign for better science, and we help everyone get involved with science and health research. We are a politically and financially independent foundation.

UKRI

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the new funding organisation for research and innovation in the UK, succeeded The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as co-funder of the Inspiring Science Fund in 2018. UKRI brings together the 7 UK research councils, Innovate UK and a new organisation, Research England, working closely with its partner organisations in the devolved administrations.

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Galen Appoints Dr Dennise Broderick as Managing Director

admin — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 08:55:39 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 8 January 2019 –Galen Ltd, the Northern Ireland based pharmaceutical company, is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Dennise Broderick as its new Managing Director and President. She will report to Alan Armstrong, CEO and Chairman, Almac Group, – the parent company of Galen Ltd.

Together with Almac Group’s Board of Directors, Dennise is responsible for all aspects of the specialist pharmaceutical company’s operations, marketing and governance across its sites throughout Europe and the US.

Dennise is a highly successful, respected and inspiring Executive Business Leader, with an extensive career within the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently Dennise held the position of Country Manager, leading the Irish affiliate of IPSEN Pharmaceuticals and was responsible for all aspects of the business. Prior to this Dennise also held CEO/MD and senior leadership roles with Pfizer, Hospira, Zeneus, Viatris and other pharmaceutical companies both in Ireland and Europe.

Dennise is also very highly respected academically and remains on the invite list as a guest lecturer within the National Universities of Ireland having previously lectured part-time within their network.

Mr Armstrong, commented on Dennise’s appointment: “We are delighted to welcome Dennise to our team. Her inside knowledge of the industry will be instrumental in developing the Galen brand and growing the company globally. Her inspiring approach will be sure to help us meet our ambitious targets and look forward to an exciting future.”

Dr Broderick added, “It is an honour for me to join the Galen team and look forward to working with the established global management team to strengthen our vision to make Galen a successful global pharmaceutical company with a strong focus on both the customer and the patient. It’s an exciting challenge, one which I am looking forward to immensely.”

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About Galen

Established in 1968, Galen is a privately owned pharmaceutical sales and marketing company, headquartered in Craigavon (Northern Ireland), with products in therapy areas including gastroenterology, urology, female health, pain management and mental health.

Visit: www.galen-pharma.com

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has grown organically over the past five decades now employing over 5600 highly skilled personnel across 17 facilities including Europe, the US and Asia. Click here to view our facilities.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Almac Clinical Services Wins Excellence Awards at 2018 Cold Chain Global Forum

admin — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 12:45:13 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 07 November 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is pleased to share that temperature-controlled packaging suppliers Cold Chain Technologies and Almac Clinical Services were recently announced as winners of the “Global Forum Excellence Awards for Best Innovative Supply Chain Strategy” and “Best Supplier Collaboration” at the 16th Annual Cold Chain Global Forum in Philadelphia, PA.

The selection of these companies was based on developing and implementing the Almac Pod™ Program: an innovative reusable small parcel temperature-controlled shipper and accompanying qualified refurbishment program. With Almac’s help, the companies co-created a high-performing shipping solution managed by a robust and repeatable refurbishment process, resulting in a program that has enabled increased throughput, improved program costs, enhanced temperature protection duration, weight reductions and reduced waste.

Leon Supplee, Director of Logistics, commented, “I am delighted to accept these awards on behalf of Almac Clinical Services and in conjunction with Cold Chain Technologies. The Almac Pod™ Program resulted from close and continuing collaboration between our organizations and we are very pleased with the outcome and ongoing benefits.”

“We are very pleased to receive these awards at the Cold Chain Global Forum. This represents important recognition among our peers of the value and effectiveness of the Almac Pod™ Program, as well as how this reusable shipping solution and refurbishment program results in real operational benefits to organizations like Almac Clinical Services,” said Anthony Rizzo, Senior Vice President at Cold Chain Technologies.

Cold Chain Technologies is a leading global provider of single-use and reusable thermal packaging solutions for the distribution and transport of temperature-sensitive shipments. The company is ISO 9001:2015 registered, with over 50 years of ensuring product safety for the pharmaceutical, life science, and food service industries.

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Inaugural Almac McKervey Award Presented for Excellence in Chemistry

admin — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 07:30:46 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 25 October 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to announce that the first ‘Almac McKervey Award’ for Excellence in Organic Chemistry has been awarded.

The award, a commemoration to the life and work of one of Ireland’s most distinguished scientists, Professor Tony McKervey, who passed away in June 2017, was made to Queen’s University Belfast Medicinal Chemistry student, Eilish Bonner.

Eilish, who is originally from Dungloe in County Donegal, was presented with the award by Dr Stephen Barr, Managing Director, Almac Sciences. She also received a £1,500 bursary towards her tuition fees and a 12 month placement with Almac to gain industry experience and mentorship.

Born in Ederney, Co Fermanagh in 1938, Tony earned a degree in Chemistry from Queen’s University Belfast in 1961. A former Professor of Organic Chemistry at both University College Cork and Queen’s University Belfast, Tony founded Almac’s Sciences Business Unit in 1992 and continued to support Almac as a member of the Sciences’ senior management team until his death at the age of 78.

Dr Barr said: “We chose to name an award after our esteemed colleague and friend, Tony, as a fitting tribute to someone whose leadership, exemplary work ethic and kind demeanour inspired many of us during his long service with Almac. Tony was committed to supporting students with a shared passion for science and this award is designed to support outstanding achievement in organic chemistry, something that our panel of experts felt strongly was exemplified in Eilish’s dedication to her studies.”

Eilish commented: “I am delighted and honoured to accept this prestigious award – particularly in its first year. I have enjoyed my degree at Queen’s thus far and am excited to be gaining hands on experience during my placement at Almac and working alongside so many chemistry experts. Professor McKervey was such an inspiration to students and I am humbled to receive an award in his name.”

“Queen’s is very proud of its long tradition of working with great companies, many like Almac, who employ outstanding QUB graduates from the sciences.” Commented Professor Mark Price, Pro-vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. “It is lovely to see an outstanding student like Eilish be recognised for her achievements through the generosity of this award, given in the honour of one of our most renowned graduates in the sciences. The stars of the past are helping to shine a light on the stars of the future!”

Following the ceremony, Professor McKervey’s daughter, Henrietta, unveiled a perpetual commemorative wall plaque at the David Keir building at Queen’s University – a replica of which has been erected in Almac’s global headquarter facility in Craigavon.

The Almac McKervey Award, which is open to students studying Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, will be presented each year to the top applicant, selected on both their academic achievement and performance at an interview with Almac’s chemistry experts.

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About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Receives Board of Trade Award by the United Kingdom’s Department of International Trade (DIT)

admin — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 01:00:32 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 25 October 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, is pleased to receive the UK’s Board of Trade Award, presented by the UK’s Department of International Trade (DIT) during its “International Trade Day” held aboard the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth in New York.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox MP, hosted a series of events on Monday 22^nd October aimed at strengthening ties with the US, which took place days after US Treasury Secretary, Robert Lighthizer, announced that the US intends to begin negotiations towards a UK-US Free Trade Agreement after the UK leaves the European Union.

A number of British companies were presented with prestigious Board of Trade Awards by the Secretary of State alongside the Almac Group, recognising their successful export activity. Winners of the Board of Trade Awards come from a broad range of sectors, including life science, space and food & drink, representing the best of British innovation and entrepreneurship.

Mark Weir, US Group Financial Controller, commented: “We are deeply committed to honouring our historic roots by reinvesting in our core asset – our employees – for their work and expertise concentrated in Northern Ireland and internationally. As we celebrate our fiftieth year of business, we wish to thank DIT for continuing to place focus on a strong UK-US partnership, positioning Almac to successfully execute on its mission of ‘partnering to advance human health’.”

According to DIT, trade between the UK and the US totalled more than £180 billion in the year to June 2018, making the US the UK’s largest single nation trading partner and export market. Similarly, Almac reported a 19% rise in revenue in June, marking the first time turnover surpassed £500 million, following continued investment in expansion projects with the building of additional facilities and the construction of one of the largest pharmaceutical cold store facilities in Europe at its Global Headquarters in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

###

About Almac Group

A unique culture delivering exceptional solutions

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Scoops Research & Development Achievement at 2018 Irish Pharma Industry Awards

admin — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:31:10 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 24 October 2018 – Following the success of picking up last year’s ‘Export Achievement’ award, Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to announce it has won the Research & Development Achievement Award during this year’s Irish Pharma Industry Award ceremony. This award recognises the company’s commitment to delivering the highest quality R&D services to its global clients.

An independent panel, which comprised 14 industry leaders, judged the entries and determined the winners based on a number of key attributes. Almac’s entry was selected as the winner due to its highly effective and innovative selectAZyme™ research programme which offers green, economic, robust, scaleable and reliable processes for synthesis of chiral APIs and intermediates. It was one of 24 awards presented during the event.

“We are honoured to receive the Research and Development award which once again showcases the successful integration of the diverse and highly skilled technical workforce of Almac and Arran.” Commented Dr Stephen Barr, Managing Director, Almac Sciences. “This award serves to highlight our team’s dedication and commitment to quality and also showcases our ability to solve complex technical challenges. We’re grateful for this award and look forward to drive further success with our continued focus on a range of R&D programmes.”

Since launching in 2014, the Pharma Industry Awards recognise the successes and achievements of Ireland’s pharmaceutical industry and are seen as the benchmark for excellence for those operating within the sector. The winners were revealed at a Gala Awards dinner on 23rd October at The Clayton Hotel, Dublin.

Additionally, Almac Clinical Services’ team was a shortlist-nominee for the Supply Chain Achievement Award, which spotlighted their success with having extensive global coverage and expertise in servicing end-to-end supply chain management.

The Pharma Industry Awards celebrates individuals and companies who most distinguish themselves and demonstrate a commitment to innovative solutions and exemplary quality in the Irish Pharma sector. Ranging from process and formulation to contract-development and manufacturing services, these awards allow recipients to showcase their strengths and annual investments. Almac last received the R&D achievement award in 2014 for its work on Almac Diagnostic Services’ proprietary DNA Damage Repair Deficiency (DDRD) test which helps predict which breast cancer patients are likely to benefit from chemotherapy based on their genetic make-up.

###

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

To keep up to date with latest news, follow Almac Group on Twitter and LinkedIn

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Almac Group Announces Successful HPRA Inspection at its European Campus

admin — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 06:55:02 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., UK, 02 October 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is pleased to announce the successful inspection of Almac Pharma Services (Ireland) at its European campus in Dundalk, Ireland, by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

Almac Group previously confirmed that the premises secured in Dundalk as part of its ongoing global expansion strategy were successfully inspected by the HPRA in January 2018. This initial inspection provided Almac with the regulatory approvals to conduct QP certification of both clinical and commercial drug product from its European campus in Dundalk.

Since January, Almac has made an investment of £10 million to establish state-of-the-art analytical laboratories and commercial packaging suites to ensure current and future client needs within the European Union are met.

This recent inspection by the HPRA now enables Almac Pharma Services to support analysis of commercial drug product and provide flexible secondary labelling and packaging solutions for a wide range of finished pack presentations. Ian Markwell, VP of Quality, commented “We are extremely pleased with this inspection outcome. Not only does this illustrate the strength of our Global Quality Management System but provides assurance to our client partners that we meet all EU regulatory requirements.”

Graeme McBurney, Managing Director, Almac Pharma Services, commented: “This is a great achievement and reflects Almac’s commitment to provide our global client partners with an uninterrupted service provision and seamless access to the EU marketplace. Regardless of the outcome of Brexit negotiations, we look forward to providing best in class, bespoke packaging solutions, from this new European facility.”

Ends

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over 50 years and now employs over 5600 highly skilled personnel.

Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with 17 operations across Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

Almac would like to acknowledge and thank all those organisations who have provided support over the last 50 years including Danske Bank, Invest NI, PWC and IDA.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Almac Group Marks 50 Successful Years in Craigavon

admin — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 07:55:03 +0000

Organisation reaches 5,000 employees globally

Craigavon, N.I., 6 Sept 2018 – Almac is celebrating 50 years since its founder, Sir Allen McClay, opened the doors of his pharmaceutical development business on its Craigavon headquarters.

The organisation, which now operates in 18 locations across Europe, North America and Asia, was founded as Galen Limited in 1968. Following flotation on the New York, Dublin and London stock exchanges in 1997, Galen Holdings Plc became Northern Ireland’s first billion pound company.

When the company took a different path to that which Sir Allen had envisioned in 2001, he sold the majority of his shareholding and, in 2002, he founded the Almac Group.

Sixteen years later the campus at Craigavon serves as the organisation’s global headquarters and houses seven Business Units and this year saw the recruitment of Almac’s 5000th employee globally.

Alan Armstrong, CEO and Chairman of the Almac Group said: “When he opened the doors of his business 50 years ago in Northern Ireland, Sir Allen had a vision of making a substantial contribution to healthcare across the globe.

“We are proud of our global reputation for excellence built over those 50 years. Our client service, scientific and operational expertise right across the drug development lifecycle offers a tailored solution to each of our clients. It is the dedication of our exceptional employees that enables us to provide this service and we pay tribute to their work as we reflect on the success of our company.

“We are excited about the future of our company. We look forward to making more exciting announcements as we reach new milestones and advancements across the business. As we look forward to continuing success, we wish to thank all those who have played their part in our story so far. So to our employees, clients, suppliers and other key stakeholders, thank you.”

The company’s most recently published financial figures show a 19% rise in revenue to £531m. It also reported an increase in pre-tax profits, up from £27m in 2016 to over £33m for the year ending 30 September 2017.

ENDS

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over 50 years and now employs over 5600 highly skilled personnel.

Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with 17 operations across Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

Almac would like to acknowledge and thank all those organisations who have provided support over the last 50 years including Danske Bank, Invest NI, PWC and IDA.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com/50-years

The post Almac Group Marks 50 Successful Years in Craigavon appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Appoints Jonothan Cooil as Vice President of Engineering, Facilities and Health, Safety & Environment

admin — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 06:55:14 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., UK, 21 Aug 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has announced the appointment of Jonothan Cooil to Vice President of Engineering, Facilities and Health, Safety & Environment. He will report to Almac Group CEO, Alan Armstrong.

Jon joins Almac with more than 20 years’ experience with some of the world’s leading companies. Most recently he was employed as Head of Engineering and HSE at a major global pharmaceutical company and was directly responsible for leading the expansion and regrowth of one of its sites. In addition, he led the corporate adoption of process safety in manufacture for the global organisation.

Previously, Jon was employed as Chief Engineer and Head of Process Safety at Warwick International, the world leader in the manufacture of Tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), where he was responsible for engineering and process safety on a 30 acre top tier Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) chemical site.

Jon is a highly respected academic and has lectured at John Moores’ University as well as being the external examiner in the BEng and MEng engineering courses. He is also a certified 6 sigma black belt and a Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) champion.

Alan commented, “We are delighted to have Jon join the Almac leadership team. He has a proven track record of driving improvement and operational efficiency which is aligned to our global growth plans. His wealth of experience will be invaluable to our future success.”

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Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over 50 years and now employs close to 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations throughout Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Group Appoints Jonothan Cooil as Vice President of Engineering, Facilities and Health, Safety & Environment appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Soars up Ulster Business Top 100 Charts

admin — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 07:55:52 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 15 Aug 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is honoured to be included in the top ten list of this year’s Ulster Business top 100 companies.

The news comes as the company’s figures for year ending 30 September 2017 reported a 19% rise in revenue to £531M and an increase in pre-tax profits, up from £27M in 2016 to over £33M.

In a supplementary table listing the most valuable firms in Northern Ireland, Almac, with a net worth of £276.9M, was recorded as only one of two privately owned companies within the top six. Whilst the global organisation was listed in the top 3 companies with the most employees which has increased by over 10% to 4,407.

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group commented: “I am delighted with our ranking in this year’s Ulster Business top 100 companies list. 2017 was a particularly strong year for Almac with significant investment made for the long term benefit of the Group, including global expansion into key strategic territories. Achieving such a high position in all 3 tables is testament to the quality, expertise and innovative services provided by our dedicated employees globally and I look forward to many more years of success.”

The Ulster Business Top 100 listing is compiled by independent consultant Jonathan Cushley and incorporates the results of Northern Ireland based companies, either Northern Ireland registered or when a significant portion of their business is driven and transacted through the province.

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About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IRT technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over almost 50 years and now employs close to 5600 highly skilled personnel.

Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in Europe, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

The post Almac Group Soars up Ulster Business Top 100 Charts appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Launches GMP High Throughput Peptide Manufacturing Service

admin — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 07:55:04 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 27 Jul 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to announce the successful MHRA registration of its High Throughput GMP Peptide manufacturing facility. Based at the Technopole campus near Edinburgh, Scotland, the facility manufactures neoantigen derived peptides for use in the production of patient specific, individualised cancer vaccines.

Speed is critical within this therapeutic context as the entire supply chain is focused on minimising “needle to needle” time – i.e. the time between the initial patient biopsy and the ultimate vaccine administration. Almac Sciences’ experts have been associated with the individualised cancer vaccine field for several years and its facility and systems have been set up to enable fully GMP compliant manufacture and release of 20-30 GMP peptides within less than three weeks.

Almac has manufactured multiple High Throughput batches of neoantigen derived peptides –branded by Almac as NeoPeptides™ – for compassionate use treatments, and for P-I clinical trials, from its Edinburgh facility. Over the course of the past ten months the facility has been upgraded and segregated to enable GMP supply. A bespoke Pharmaceutical Quality System has been designed and implemented to enable high speed, fully compliant GMP manufacture. The systems have now been tested through a number of Pivotal Engineering Runs and have demonstrated robust performance and the ability to consistently achieve the less than three weeks peptide manufacturing target. GMP supply is expected to commence in Quarter 3, 2018.

Dr Charles Shields, Vice President Peptides and Small Molecule API, Almac Sciences commented “Almac is very excited to be at the leading edge of this revolutionary approach to immuno-oncology. The systems and capabilities we have established are world leading, but our vision goes beyond today’s performance and we already have clear plans for how to deliver higher capacity and faster manufacturing rates.”

Neoantigen derived vaccines have become a major new strategy within oncology as researchers look to harness the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. The treatment platform is completely individualised. A patient’s tumour is biopsied and genetically sequenced to identify the epitope mutations which are present within the patient’s cancer. These neoepitopes are completely unique to that patient and their tumour. The neoepitopes are then replicated within a series of peptides – typically 10-30. The peptides are manufactured within Almac’s High Throughput GMP manufacturing facility, they are then formulated into a patient-specific cancer vaccine and administered to the patient. Each peptide manufacture is unique; manufacture occurs once and the product is administered to only one patient.

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About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IVRS technology (IXRS®) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over almost 50 years and now employs close to 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

The post Almac Group Launches GMP High Throughput Peptide Manufacturing Service appeared first on Almac.

Almac Clinical Technologies Releases New Podcast Series Entitled “Spotlight on IRT: Best Practices”

admin — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 11:55:45 +0000

Souderton, PA – 25 July 2018 – Almac Clinical Technologies, a global leader in technology-enabled solutions for managing clinical trial patient and supplies data through its flagship IXRS® 3 Interactive Response Technology (IRT) debuts a first-in-industry podcast series entitled, “Spotlight on IRT: Best Practices.”

This podcast features both Almac thought leaders and outside experts discussing best practices relating to IRT, protocol changes, regulatory audits and the most current innovations in order to improve costs, safety and efficiencies in today’s complex clinical trials. The podcast homepage resides on the resource-filled Almac Clinical University and offers the listener the opportunity to submit questions, comments and/or a speaker for future episodes.

“Almac Clinical Technologies has been the leading partner in providing solutions and solving the challenges that occur in today’s dynamic global clinical trial landscape. Too often we see clients relying on legacy processes out of familiarity and forget to consider alternatives that may prove to be more efficient ways to approach a problem. Our intent is to shed light on some of the problem areas we see our clients facing on a regular basis, and suggest proactive and holistic solutions which can be readily implemented to ensure continued success,” said Valarie Higgins, President and Managing Director of Almac Clinical Technologies.

Matt Lowrie, Almac Clinical Technologies’ Quality Assurance Group Manager, who has 15+ years of hosting and managing regulatory agency inspections and effectively answering demands for hundreds of trials, serves as host for the series. The “Spotlight on IRT: Best Practices” podcast is free to access, available on iTunes®, Google Play™ and all other available podcast applications. Amazon Echo owners can also enable access to the podcast through the Almac Podcast skill, then simply asking Alexa to “Play Almac Podcast.”

To learn more about how Almac Clinical Technologies can help to transform your clinical trial, please visit almacgroup.com/clinical-technologies

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About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, Interactive Response Technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over almost 50 years and now employs close to 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo)

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Appoints Three Vice Presidents

admin — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 07:00:28 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 25 July 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has announced the appointment of three new Vice Presidents within its Pharma Services Business Unit as it expands its executive team.

Jonas Mortensen is appointed to the position of Vice President of Business Development. Bringing extensive experience to the role, Jonas is responsible for leading the global Business Development, Proposal and Marketing teams. Jonas is a graduate of the University of Copenhagen with a Masters in Biology. He started his career in discovery research as a scientist and project management before progressing into quality management for a Scandinavian pharmaceutical products company and until recently, worked in Business Development for a leading CDMO.

Grainne Hughes, who joined Almac Pharma Services in 1999 and in most recent years held the position of Head of Operations, was promoted to Vice President of Business Support Operations. Grainne will lead all support functions across the business including Client Services, Planning, Business Systems and Business Projects. Grainne graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a BSc in Biomedical Sciences and also obtained an MSc in Manufacturing Management from Ulster University.

In a similar move, Mark English, who joined Almac Pharma Services in 2010 as Distribution Manager and in most recent years was Head of Logistics, has now been promoted to the position of Vice President of Packaging & Logistics Operations. In this role, Mark will have responsibility for all packaging and logistic operations across Almac Pharma Services’ global commercial facilities in the UK, Ireland and USA. Mark is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and holds a BEng in Chemical Engineering.

Graeme McBurney, President and Managing Director of Almac Pharma Services commented “We are delighted to welcome Jonas, Grainne and Mark to their new positions at Almac Pharma Services. They each bring a wealth of experience and impressive track records in their various roles. We look forward to their contribution to the delivery and success of our future expansion plans.”

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About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The post Almac Group Appoints Three Vice Presidents appeared first on Almac.

“Portadown Gets Active” A summer scheme to support local children and end holiday hunger

admin — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 07:55:04 +0000

Children in Northern Ireland has just launched its latest “Gets Active” scheme to support local children in Portadown. The programme is being delivered in partnership with the community and voluntary sector, statutory agencies, local schools, local government and business.

The “Portadown Gets Active” summer programme is about fun, learning and food. It encourages young people to stay active during the summer months, attain a qualification and enjoy a healthy snack and lunch.

The programme is being held in St John the Baptist College to make the most of the school estate which would otherwise lie empty during the summer holidays.

The project was created in response to evidence that many families face severe difficulties during holiday periods when free school meal entitlement ends. Our project not only provides a healthy snack and lunch, but also gives children the opportunity to take part in a range of activities and gain an OCN qualification. Over 70 children are taking part in the programme. With a further 20 older children having already taken part in an OCN in Youth Work.

Pauline Leeson, Chief Executive of Children in Northern Ireland said:
“The premise behind free school meals is that children from low income families have access to a hot nutritional lunch during school. At times they also receive breakfast too. But what happens to those children during the long summer holidays and other holiday periods? For some families, the school holidays can be a struggle. It’s not just the increase in food cost but the pressures associated with keeping children active.”

The project in Portadown is a partnership between Oasis Youth Portadown, Children in Northern Ireland, the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership, Family Support Hubs, ABC Council with additional support from the Public Health Agency, food supplier Brakes UK and the Almac Group.

Alan Armstrong, Chairman & CEO Almac Group said: “We are aware that many local families face challenges in providing healthy meals for their children over the summer holidays. At Almac, we are proud to support such a positive and fun programme which focuses on educating young people about staying active and eating healthily, as well as gaining a qualification. This scheme is of great value to our young people and wider society both now and for the future, equipping them with the skills they need to become healthy adults and we are delighted to be associated with it.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

CiNI represents the interests of its 160-member organisations providing policy, information, training, and participation support services to members in their direct work with and for children and young people. CiNI membership also includes colleagues in the children’s statutory sector recognising that the best outcomes for children and young people are increasingly achieved working in partnership with all those who are committed to improving the lives of children and young people in NI.

The Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) is a multi- agency partnership that includes the leadership of key statutory agencies and community and voluntary organisations that have a responsibility for improving the lives of children and young people in Northern Ireland. Chief Executives represent statutory agencies on the partnership and an open call ensured senior representation of organisations from the community sector and voluntary sector.

Oasis is a local community group based in Portadown who work directly with over 700 children, young people and their families on a cross community basis, including a wide range of those from minority ethnic backgrounds.

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over 50 years and now employs close to 5600 highly skilled personnel.

Almac is headquartered in Craigavon with operations throughout Europe, the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

The post “Portadown Gets Active” A summer scheme to support local children and end holiday hunger appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group turnover surpasses £500 million for first time

admin — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 12:58:01 +0000

Pre-tax Profits recorded at over £33M

Craigavon, N.I., 4 Jun 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has reported a 19% rise in revenue to £531M.

The global company has also reported an increase in pre-tax profits, up from £27M in 2016 to over £33M.

Globally, employee figures increased by over 10% to 4,407. Of this total 2,920 staff are employed at Craigavon, representing an increase of also 10% or 270 staff on the previous year.

The figures were recorded in Almac’s annual report with its results for the year ending 30 September 2017.

2016 pre-tax profit was recorded at £27M. This year’s figure of £33M benefited from upfront and other payments relating to the out-licensing of oncology products which had been developed in house by the group and which also contributed to the profit before tax figure for the year.

The company continued to invest in expansion projects in 2017 with the building of additional lab and office facilities and the ongoing construction of one of the largest pharmaceutical cold store facilities in Europe at its Global HQ campus in Craigavon.

Group CEO, Alan Armstrong commented: “2017 was a strong year for Almac with turnover over £531 Million and profits surpassing £33 million. During the year we made significant investment for the long term benefit of the Group including global expansion into key strategic territories. The financial benefit of these investments may not be realised immediately, however they will ensure steady and continued growth of the Group into the future. All our profits are reinvested into the business enabling us to offer best-in-class services and products to our clients and continue to be a leader in the life sciences sector.”

ENDS

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over almost 50 years and now employs close to 5600 highly skilled personnel.

Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

The post Almac Group turnover surpasses £500 million for first time appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group’s Vice President of Global Business Development Appointed to British American Business Council of Greater Philadelphia (BABCPHL) Board of Directors

admin — Tue, 29 May 2018 00:58:23 +0000

Souderton, US, May 23, 2018– Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, is proud to recognize the appointment of George Tiger, Vice President of Global Business Development, Almac Clinical Technologies, to the BABCPHL’s Board of Directors.

Leading global commercial activities for Almac Clinical Technologies, Tiger is responsible for the company’s commercial strategy and execution, working to build and strengthen client relationships, advance the industry-leading Almac ONE solution and expand strategic partnerships. He has over twenty-five years of success in sales, marketing and general management. Prior to joining Almac in 2015, Tiger served as Sr. Vice President for Health Market Science, and served in a number of global leadership positions with ERT and Abbott Laboratories. He is a graduate of Lafayette College with a BA in Economics and Business.

Michael Pedrick, BABCPHL President, commented: “The BABCPHL is pleased to welcome Almac as a Club Level Member. As a global pharmaceutical and biotech company, Almac represents a highly significant and growing business sector for the Greater Philadelphia region, and one that is a key component of US/UK trade in our area. We are delighted George is joining our Board of Directors. He will offer depth and insight about this critical sector, and will help our organization advance our mission and that of Almac through affiliation with the BABCPHL.”

Last year, the Almac Group hosted Ross Allen, Deputy Consul General and US Director of the Department for International Trade, and John Hoggard, Vice Consul and US Healthcare Sector Lead, to present a comprehensive overview of Almac’s history, global presence, and local operations.

Valarie Higgins, President & Managing Director of Almac Clinical Technologies, was also a recent finalist for the BABC’s global Transatlantic Growth (TAG) Women in Business Silver Award, which celebrates successful companies growing their transatlantic business, for her work to implement a successful growth strategy between Europe, the US, and internationally.

To learn more about Almac Group’s work in the US and globally, please visit: https://www.almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS^® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown almost 50 years and now employs close to 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

The post Almac Group’s Vice President of Global Business Development Appointed to British American Business Council of Greater Philadelphia (BABCPHL) Board of Directors appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Participates in National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day

admin — Fri, 04 May 2018 12:52:50 +0000

Souderton, U.S., May 4, 2018– Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization with North American headquarters in Souderton, PA, participated in the nationally organized Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, coordinating a full event schedule for over one-hundred and fifty children of Almac employees.

Organized into groups according to age, the projects covered the company’s unique service areas, including science demonstrations, clinical packaging relays, tours of supply chain warehouses, and individualized career development. Participants at Almac’s Durham, North Carolina facility had the opportunity to dissect a strawberry’s DNA, guided by diagnostic subject-matter-experts. Each group also contributed to organizing care packages to help our military heroes, aiding the Military Working Dog Team Support Association.

Helene Matthews, US Training Director, commented: “Almac enjoyed hosting this event for our employees’ families, as it fosters a shared educational experience and further provides participants with insights to an exciting and continually evolving industry. We thank everyone for their contributions and helping to make this year’s ‘Agents of Positive Change’ theme a success.”

A national movement led by the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Foundation, this year’s event focused on creating a transparent and equitable experience to showcase opportunities that girls and boys can use in their continued career exploration and build upon with future educational achievement.

Arden Pengelly, Parent and HSE Supervisor, commented: “STEM education is important to my children’s future. I’m proud to work for a company like Almac who chooses to invest resources and places considerable value on events like these. Many companies try to live up to their core values; Almac is a company that always does.”

To learn more about Almac’s dedication to its employees and corporate social responsibility efforts, please visit: https://www.almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The post Almac Group Participates in National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day appeared first on Almac.

“Portadown Gets Active” — A scheme to support local children and end holiday hunger

admin — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 07:55:42 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 6 April 2018 – Children in Northern Ireland together with local community organisation Oasis Youth are running an Easter scheme to support local children in Portadown, providing nutritious meals and further education through a wide range of activities. The programme is being delivered in partnership with the community and voluntary sector, statutory agencies, local schools and local government.

This Easter more than 100,000 children are at risk of going hungry. What should be a time of enjoyment for many children and young people is, in fact, often a battle for families against food insecurity, social isolation and lack of exercise.

Local children learning how to bake fifteens at “Portadown Gets Active” Easter scheme.

The “Portadown Gets Active” programme was created in response to evidence that many families face severe difficulties during holiday periods when free school meal entitlement ends. This project not only provides a healthy snack and lunch, but also gives children the opportunity to take part in various indoor and outdoor activities focused on health, wellbeing and nutrition and, during the summer programme, gain an OCN qualification in Healthy Living.

Chief Executive of Children in Northern Ireland, Pauline Leeson, CBE, said: “The absence of free school meals is even more important during holiday periods as family budgets are already stretched.”

“School holidays are an expensive time for families where there is financial strain on increased food budgets, childcare costs and paying for activities to keep children and young people entertained. Many parents are faced with the difficult choice of how to feed their whole family, with many parents going without in order to feed their children.”

The project in Portadown is a partnership between Oasis Youth Portadown, Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership, Pathways Activities with additional support from the Public Health Agency, food supplier Brakes UK and the Almac Group.

Kevin Reid, Almac Global VP of Marketing visited the Easter scheme and commented: ”Playing our part in the local community is a key priority for Almac and we are proud to support this fantastic initiative. It is vital to ensure our children and young people are given the opportunity to achieve and develop the skills they need to succeed in life and this scheme offers a range of activities which will stay with them as they transition into adulthood.”

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About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The post “Portadown Gets Active” — A scheme to support local children and end holiday hunger appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group named by Deloitte as One of Ireland’s Best Managed Companies

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 16:01:51 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 26 March 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has been named as one of Ireland’s Best Managed companies in the Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards programme.

Almac was awarded the status for the first time following a detailed qualification and judging process and was recognised for demonstrating superior business performance. 22 new companies join a requalifying network of more than 100 companies, built over a decade of the programme. The awards, in association with Bank of Ireland, culminated with the Best Managed Companies Awards symposium and gala in Dublin on 15 March 2018, which was attended by over 1,000 people from the business community.

As part of its ongoing expansion strategy, Almac recently announced the completion of a £20 million investment in its cold chain management capabilities with the opening of a 95,000 sq ft custom built cold store facility at its global headquarters in Northern Ireland. The organisation also recently confirmed further investment at its European Campus in Dundalk which is scheduled to be operationally ready by January 2019.

Commenting on the award, Kevin Stephens, Finance Director, Almac Group said: “We are pleased to be recognised as a Best Managed Company by Deloitte. This achievement highlights our commitment to the growth and development of Almac on a global scale, ultimately benefitting patients worldwide”.

Commenting, Deloitte Partner, Anya Cummins said: “2018 marks the 10th year of the Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards programme, which has grown from 25 companies in year 1 to 137 in year 10. The programme represents companies from different industries with many industry-specific challenges but also common characteristics such as adaptability, innovation and ambition.”

The Deloitte Best Managed Companies programme promotes and recognises excellence in Irish/Northern Irish owned and managed companies. It is the only awards scheme in the region that considers a business’ performance from every perspective.

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

About Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards

The Deloitte Best Managed Companies programme, in association with Bank of Ireland, promotes and recognises excellence in Irish/Northern Irish owned and managed companies. It is the only awards scheme on the island of Ireland that considers a business’ performance from every perspective.

Entrants to the programme will compete for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates the calibre of their management abilities and practices. Programme sponsors are Bank of Ireland, the Irish Management Institute and the Sunday Business Post. For further information, visit www.deloittebestmanaged.ie.

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Almac Group Recognised with CMO Leadership Awards

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 15:10:28 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 22 March 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has announced it has been awarded CMO Leadership Awards for the sixth consecutive year.

The CMO Leadership Awards recognises top outsourcing partners, determined by feedback from sponsor companies who outsource manufacturing. Each year, the awards are presented by Life Science Leader and Industry Standard Research (ISR) during an annual award ceremony which celebrates drug development and manufacturing.

Almac Pharma Services received three awards at the prestigious celebratory event held on 21 March in New York which recognised its capabilities, overall compatibility and outstanding quality at small pharma level.

The global organisation recently announced the completion of a £20 million investment in its cold chain management capabilities with the opening of a 95,000sq ft custom built cold store facility at its global headquarters in Northern Ireland. The new facility complements Almac’s existing global drug product capabilities by boasting over 3,000 pallet spaces including -15°C to -25°C storage capacity, additional 2°C – 8°C secondary production rooms, 3PL processing areas and a custom designed clinical labelling suite.

Adam Schroeder, Director Business Development, Almac Pharma Services commented “Once again, we are delighted to receive these awards which recognises continued investment in our global capabilities and solutions. This achievement strengthens our commitment to better serve our clients, and ultimately patients worldwide, thereby maintaining our position as a global leader in the life sciences sector.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Group Recognised with CMO Leadership Awards appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Launches ‘Almac McKervey Award’ for Excellence in Organic Chemistry

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 10:30:52 +0000

Commemorating the life and work of Professor Tony McKervey

Craigavon, N.I., 22 March 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to announce the launch of the ‘Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry’, a commemoration to the life and work of one of Ireland’s most distinguished scientists, Professor Tony McKervey.

Open to students studying Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, the ‘Almac McKervey Award’ will be presented to a student selected on the basis of academic achievement and performance at an interview with Almac’s chemistry experts.

The winning student will also receive a £1,500 bursary towards tuition fees, in addition to a paid twelve month placement with Almac to gain industry experience and mentorship. The inaugural ‘Almac McKervey Award ‘ceremony will be held at Queen’s University Belfast in October 2018.

Stephen Barr, Managing Director, Almac Sciences commented: “We chose to name an award after our esteemed colleague and friend, Tony, as a fitting tribute to someone whose leadership, exemplary work ethic and kind demeanour have inspired many of us during his many years of service with Almac. His academic and industrial career has made a considerable impact on many who studied and worked for, and with him, across the world. Tony was committed to supporting students with a shared passion for science and this award is designed to support outstanding achievement in organic chemistry and to further cement Tony’s research legacy within the field.”

Professor Peter Robertson, Head of School, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering commented: “Queen’s University Belfast is delighted that Almac has launched the ‘Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry’. Professor McKervey was a valued colleague and made a huge contribution to organic chemistry, both as an academic at Queen’s University Belfast and University College Cork and through his key involvement with industry, particularly with Almac. This award is a fitting legacy for Professor McKervey’s significant contribution as a world leading Organic Chemist.”

Last October, Almac partnered with the Hans Sloane Trust to launch the inaugural ‘Sloane McClay Award’. This award recognises and rewards the top student who obtains the highest combined marks in biology, chemistry, physics and maths at GCSE level. Many leaders in Northern Ireland, including both Sir Hans Sloane and Almac Group Founder Sir Allen McClay, envisioned a world dedicated to advancing human health. Almac continues to deliver on their achievements and dedication through helping to further develop youth engagement and support of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) education.

For further information on the Almac McKervey Award, please contact Frances Weldon (STEM Outreach Manager) Almac Group.

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Group Launches ‘Almac McKervey Award’ for Excellence in Organic Chemistry appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Partners with Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce

admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 11:00:29 +0000

A Discussion on the Importance of Shaping Company Culture in the Workplace

Souderton, U.S., March 19, 2018– Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization with North American headquarters in Souderton, PA, partnered with the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce (IVCC) to host a conversation with local business and civic leaders on how to successfully shape and support a company’s culture, allowing it to be a truly exceptional place to work.

Moderated by Sally Derstine, Managing Partner, Delaware Valley Family Business Center, the event was held on Wednesday, March 14^th bringing together over fifty community members in conversation highlighting many of the key categories for long-term employee success, including training and development, staff recognition, health & wellness, and long-term vision. A balanced work culture brings together employees at all levels, supporting a cohesive environment for mutual success and combined growth.

Steven Hunsberger, Executive Director, Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce, commented: “Creating and maintaining the appropriate culture is integral to the long-term success of an organization and the people of which it is comprised. The Chamber is pleased to have good corporate citizens, like the Almac Group, to partner with and make programming available to help chart the success of all the businesses in the community.”

Rich Moore, US Director of Human Resources, Almac Group, commented: “People are our core asset. Individually and collectively, they are critical to the success of our vision, and we are proud to join with organizations like the (IVCC) in helping to cultivate this focus among businesses in our community.”

To learn more about our many US careers or further read about why the Almac Group is driven by a unique entrepreneurial culture and commitment to grow and succeed please visit: https://www.almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

###

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

About the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce

For over 30 years, we have served the Indian Valley Communities (Souderton, Telford, Franconia, Lower Salford, Upper Salford, Hatfield, Skippack, Towamencin, Rockhill, Hilltown and Salford). Our 450 members are made up of businesses and individuals dedicated to promoting a favorable economic climate and enhancing the quality of life in the Indian Valley Area. We’re ‘Business Advocates’ supporting ‘Community Development’ with a spirit of co-operation!

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Almac Group Presents “Sir Allen McClay Award for Excellence in Chemistry”

admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 13:00:13 +0000

Awarded at the 61^st Annual Montgomery County Science Research Competition

Souderton, U.S., March 12, 2018— Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, is proud to announce its recent sponsorship of the Montgomery County Science and Teachers Association (MCSTA), and furthermore, delighted to recognize three middle school and three high school Montgomery County students for their innovative research and exemplary projects in the field of chemistry.

Student recipients at the high school level included 1) Angie Kuang, Methacton High School, 2) Annabelle Laughlin, Upper Dublin High School, and 3) Sophia Breslim, Dock Mennonite Academy High School. Student recipients at the middle school level included 1) Dylan Kuang, Arcola Intermediate School (Methacton), 2) Andrew Zhang, Arcola Intermediate School (Methacton), and 3) Anna Smith, Dock Mennonite Academy Middle School.

Michael Cannarsa, Director of Business Development, Almac Sciences, commented: “Advancing human health is our mission at Almac, and broadening education opportunities for local students is important for building on that mission going forward. We congratulate all on their successful participation and encourage them to continue asking questions and seeking answers in their pursuit of higher learning.”

The competition works to emphasize a commitment to STEM research and provides a platform for students to contribute related projects in over fourteen categories within their chosen field. The culmination of teacher, parent, and community organizations enables students to express their future interest in these career paths, as they illustrate creativity and enthusiasm.

Held at the Floy Lewis Field House at Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA, over four hundred participants submitted projects. The first, second, and third place winners from each category will move on to The Delaware Valley Science Fair, positioning students to make significant contributions to research and discovery.

Philip Rittenhouse, Event Director, commented: “We are pleased to have the Almac Group partner with us in helping to advance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) offerings in the region. With having three PA-based facilities across Souderton, Lansdale, and Audubon, we’re thankful for your support in furthering community education initiatives that have a direct impact on your employees and their families.”

To learn more about Almac Group’s work in the US and globally, please visit: almacgroup.com

###

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The post Almac Group Presents “Sir Allen McClay Award for Excellence in Chemistry” appeared first on Almac.

US East coast storm: update

admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 08:58:16 +0000

Following a Health and Safety assessment of our Pennsylvania sites at Souderton, Lansdale, and Audubon and review of the prevailing weather conditions, we are pleased to announce that our operations have re-opened today.

Impact on clinical shipments

Almac is committed to continuity of supply and customer service excellence and will endeavour to mitigate any significant impact due to this short closure.
If you have any concerns or critical shipments that need to be prioritized please contact your Project Leader or our monitored helpdesk at logisticsservices@almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Expands with Opening of £20 million Cold Chain Facility

admin — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 08:00:19 +0000

Continued investment in global expansion and service portfolio

Craigavon, N.I., 28 February 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, today announced the completion of a £20 million investment in its cold chain management capabilities with the opening of a 95,000sq ft custom built cold store facility at its global headquarters in Northern Ireland.

With over 30 years’ experience in the field of global distribution and management of temperature sensitive drug products, this expansion strengthens Almac’s ability to provide a seamless, best-in-class service to its growing global client base by ensuring efficient and effective delivery of both clinical supplies and commercial drug products.

The cold store, which is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, has been purpose built in response to customer requirements which includes consideration to the rapidly growing area of orphan drug products, changes to regulatory compliance and a more stringent focus on data across the supply chain. The additional capacity and tailored design also offers clients the opportunity to scale up with Almac as their biologic/biosimilar product portfolio increases.

The new facility complements Almac’s existing global clinical supply and drug product capabilities by boasting over 3,000 pallet spaces including -15°C to -25°C storage capacity, additional 2°C – 8°C secondary production rooms, 3PL processing areas and a custom designed clinical labelling suite. Supplementary office space has also been included to accommodate an additional 100 new employees who will be recruited as a result of the expansion.

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group commented: “Once again, Almac has set the industry standard with another significant investment in our comprehensive global clinical and commercial supply chain offering. This new facility at our global headquarters expands our cold storage capacity by 300% and our frozen storage capabilities by over 50%, enabling us to better serve our clients, and ultimately patients, worldwide thereby maintaining our position as a global leader in the life sciences sector.”

This news comes just weeks after the company announced a £30 million investment in its new European campus based in Dundalk, Ireland which will ensure the company meets current and future client needs in the EU marketplace. This expansion includes a new QC laboratory, packaging facility for commercial drug products and a dedicated 79,000sq ft EU Distribution Centre for clinical trial supply, all of which is scheduled to be operationally ready by January 2019.

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Group Expands with Opening of £20 million Cold Chain Facility appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group announces further expansion at its European Campus in Dundalk

admin — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 08:00:54 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 18 January 2018 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, today confirmed the successful completion of Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) inspections of Almac Clinical Services Ireland and Almac Pharma Services Ireland at its European campus in Dundalk, Ireland.

Almac previously confirmed that it secured new premises in Dundalk, Ireland in January 2017 as part of its ongoing global expansion strategy, to meet client demand and to address any potential challenges that may arise due to Brexit.

Following these successful HPRA inspections, Almac Group look forward to being officially licensed to conduct QP batch certification and release for both clinical trial material and commercial drug product from its European campus in Dundalk.

Ensuring the Group meets current and future client needs in the European Union marketplace, Almac has today announced further investment at the campus including a new QC laboratory and packaging facility for commercial drug products and a dedicated 79,000ft² EU Distribution Centre for clinical trial supply. This investment will more than treble the GMP footprint at its European campus which is scheduled to be operationally ready by January 2019.

This thirty million pounds investment complements the existing clinical supply and drug product development operations offered from its Global HQ site in Craigavon, NI – just 40 minutes by road from the new European campus.

The new European campus significantly increases the Group’s global footprint and provides an expanded presence within the European Union for both clinical trial supplies and commercial drug product operations, thereby providing uninterrupted service provision to its global clients.

Over the last 18 months, Almac has invested significantly, with the expansion of operational capabilities and employee numbers in each of its key territories including USA, Asia and UK. This announcement is part of a wider global expansion strategy. It will be paralleled with further investment and plans to increase employee headcount in all these locations in the coming 18 months, including its Global HQ in Craigavon, UK.

Alan Armstrong, CEO and Chairman of the Almac Group commented: “Achieving these successful HPRA inspections is a key milestone. In addition, the announcement today of further expansion will ensure our current and future clients receive a seamless solution with access to the EU marketplace. Crucially, this will ensure an uninterrupted service provision through any uncertainty Brexit may bring, and for the future, keeping Almac as a global leader in the life sciences sector.”

Welcoming the announcement Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD said, “This decision by Almac is a great vote of confidence in Dundalk, especially coming so soon after their initial decision to develop an operation in the area. It further strengthens Ireland’s Life Sciences capability in the North East and builds on a series of new IDA projects announced for Dundalk and elsewhere in County Louth over recent times. This exciting new facility is a further example of the success of our commitment under the Regional Action Plans for Jobs to provide quality jobs in regional locations.”

Commenting on the announcement Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said “This further investment in Almac’s European Campus in Dundalk is a very positive development for the company and the North East region. The Irish facility plays a strategically important role within Almac’s global footprint. Companies continue to choose Ireland as a location which provides certainty of access to the European Union in the long term post Brexit.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Group announces further expansion at its European Campus in Dundalk appeared first on Almac.

Young people presented with accredited awards at celebration event

admin — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 12:37:19 +0000

Amid media reports this week that 40% of young people in Northern Ireland are now obese or overweight, an awards ceremony in Portadown has shown how a key initiative encourages children to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Eighty young people from the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon area who completed the Portadown Gets Active Youth programme over the summer months have been presented with Open College Network (OCN) accredited awards at a special celebration event.

The Portadown Gets Active programme, funded by the McClay Foundation and supported by Craigavon-headquartered Almac, was delivered through the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership’s (CYPSP) with partners Children in Northern Ireland, Pathway Activities NI, Oasis Youth Project, Education Authority, Public Health Agency and Brakes.

The youth summer programme encouraged young people to stay active during the summer months and helped them understand the importance of healthy living by providing them with the skills and confidence to cook simple nutritious meals on a budget. The OCN accreditation of the programme shows the possibilities of learning outside of a school setting and over the summer months in a fun and interactive way.

The Portadown Gets Active Programme emphasised the confidence, independence and team building skills that were built in the young people who participated on the programme.

In addition to creating a safe place for young people to continue learning and participate in physical activities during school holidays, the programme also fostered their relationship building skills and helped develop resilience to improve emotional wellbeing.

The awards evening was attended by statutory agencies including the Education Authority, Southern Health and Social Care Trust and the Health and Social Care Board.

Thirty eight young people received an OCN in Healthy Living and 58, aged between eight and 12 year were awarded with a mini medic’s first aid certificate of achievement. The awards event also showed the recognition of 20 peer mentors aged 12-16 year as who received an OCN in Peer Mentoring and collectively accrued over 720 volunteering hours of support on the programme over the summer months.

Hugh McCaughey, chair of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) commended the programme, saying: “CYPSP are committed to identifying what works through partnership working, co-design and co-production with organisations, children and their families. This work is being driven by a regional task and finish group for Northern Ireland.”

Andrew McCreery from Oasis Youth Project spoke on behalf of the partnership and said: ‘We are passionate about children and young people achieving their potential and recognise that being healthy is of prime importance in achieving this. Portadown Gets Active provided an excellent opportunity for our members to be educated about the importance of maintaining an active and nutritional lifestyle during the summer break”.

Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group commented: “We were delighted to support this innovative programme and it is a privilege to attend the event to present OCN certificates to these inspirational young people. Congratulations to everyone involved in this outstanding project which has had a very positive impact within our local community.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

The Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) is a multi-agency partnership, led by the Health and Social Care Board. It includes the leadership of key statutory agencies and community and voluntary organisations that have a responsibility for improving the lives of children and young people in Northern Ireland.

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Almac Group Enters Strategic Partnership with W5

admin — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 09:14:43 +0000

Million-pound agreement set to inspire next generation of scientists

Craigavon, N.I., 06 Nov 2017 – Over £1m is being invested through a partnership agreement between Almac Group and W5. The aim is to enhance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) knowledge and understanding among the next generation of budding scientists through interactive learning.

W5 has secured the Craigavon-headquartered global organisation as its Health and Life Sciences partner for the next 10 years, enabling W5 to expand its current footprint to create a dynamic new family learning opportunity.

The partnership includes a new 4,000sq ft exhibition area that explores the physical, chemical, genetic and medical aspects of the body. It will also showcase Almac’s history and its work carried out in the drug development cycle for pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The new exhibition area is expected to open in autumn 2018.

Alan Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of Almac Group, said, “This is an exciting and forward-thinking partnership between Almac and W5, an award-winning science and discovery centre, which will provide key benefits for the people of Northern Ireland as well as both organisations.

“We are thrilled that the exhibition space adds to our existing presence in Belfast and provides us with a platform to tell our fascinating company history, from very humble beginnings to becoming a key player in the global biotech sector, employing almost 5,000 people worldwide, 3,000 of whom are based at our headquarters in Craigavon.”

“We plan to tell that story in an accessible and interactive way and hope we can inspire a new generation who have the potential to be employed in cutting-edge science in the future right here in Northern Ireland.”

Eric Porter, Chairman of the Odyssey Trust, said, “W5 and Almac share the aim of inspiring young people to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and maths. This agreement will also provide young people with the opportunity to explore an expanding array of careers within Almac and the biotech sector, as well as showcasing leading research and developments in biomedical science.”

“This new partnership with Almac supports our aim to create better life chances for young people by linking informal learning opportunities with leading industry partners to inspire and support STEM futures.”

ENDS

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, Interactive Response Technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

almacgroup.com

About W5

W5 opened on the 30th March 2001 and has attracted over 3.5 million visitors. W5 has over 250 interactive exhibits spread over five levels. The building also contains Climbit – a multi-story climbing structure, Space-base – a multi-sensory activity zone, a lecture theatre, a temporary exhibition space and ancillary facilities including a shop and café. During 2016/17 W5 attracted 260,000 visitors, which included 30,000 pupils on formal education school visits.

W5online.co.uk

Inspiring Science Fund

The news of the agreement follows the recent announcement by the Odyssey Trust, the owners of W5, that £4.5m is to be spent on a major capital refurbishment and public engagement programme over the next three years. £3m was awarded through the Inspiring Science Fund, a collaborative initiative between Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Wellcome with £1.5m being invested by the Odyssey Trust. The investment aims to establish a world-class innovative science centre that will create an inspiring visitor experience for new audiences and also increase visitor numbers.

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Almac Group’s US Financial Controller Appointed to Irish American Business Chamber & Network (IABCN)’s Board of Directors

admin — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 02:00:54 +0000

Souderton, U.S., November 02, 2017– Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, is delighted to recognize the appointment of Mark Weir, US Financial Controller, to the (IABCN)’s Board of Directors, based out of the City of Philadelphia.

Weir is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and holds a Master’s degree from Dublin City University in IT & Accounting and a Bachelor’s Degree from Queens University, Belfast, N.I. in Economics. Originally from Northern Ireland, Mark moved to the USA in 2012 to accept his current position with the Almac Group. Prior to joining the Almac Group, Mark trained as a Chartered Accountant with PWC and worked in a number of international organizations, including a role leading the international expansion of a family-owned firm from Northern Ireland in establishing their first foreign facility in Kansas, U.S.

Kevin Kent, (IABCN) Chairman, commented: “The Irish American Business Chamber’s Board is thrilled to welcome Mark to our team. Mark adds a wealth of knowledge and experience. We know that his service, along with the continued involvement of Ambassador Club Member Almac Group, will only strengthen the Irish Chamber’s mission of serving our members, and promoting the development of economic and educational relationships between the United States and Ireland.”

The Almac Group became the first company headquartered in Northern Ireland to receive the prestigious Ambassador Award in 2016. The Ambassador Award is given annually to a member company that has helped to carry out the Chamber’s mission of strengthening business and educational ties between Ireland and the United States. Kevin Stephens, Finance Director of the Almac Group received the award from Barbara Jones, Irish Consul General on behalf of Anne Anderson, Irish Ambassador, at a ceremony in Philadelphia, U.S.

To learn more about Almac Group’s work in the U.S. and globally, please visit: https://www.almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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About the Irish American Business Chamber & Network, Inc

The Irish American Business Chamber & Network is a nonpartisan business organization dedicated to promoting the interests of its members and the development of economic and educational relationships between the United States, Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Chamber provides growth opportunities to its members through a series of monthly networking forums, programs and a broad range of services. Its members span the Philadelphia, Delaware and New Jersey tri-state area and include Irish based companies with strong interests in this region.

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over almost 50 years and now employs in excess of 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

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“Portadown Gets Active” A scheme to support local children and end holiday hunger

lorrainemcclay — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 10:49:29 +0000

Children in Northern Ireland has just launched a scheme to support local children in Portadown. The programme is being delivered in partnership with the community and voluntary sector, statutory agencies, local schools and local government with additional support from Craigavon based Almac Group.

The “Portadown Gets Active” programme will run throughout August and is designed to encourage young people aged between 8 and 11 to stay active during the summer months and help them understand the importance of healthy living by providing them with the skills and confidence to cook simple nutritious meals on a budget.

The programme is being held in Presentation Primary School to make the most of the school estate which would otherwise lie empty during the summer holidays.

The project was created in response to evidence that many families face severe difficulties during holiday periods when free school meal entitlement ends. It not only provides a healthy snack and lunch, but also gives children the opportunity to take part in a range of activities and gain an OCN qualification in Healthy Living. A total of 70 children are taking part in the programme with a further 20 older children having already taken part in a Mentoring Programme.

Pauline Leeson, Chief Executive of Children in Northern Ireland said:

“For some families, particularly those who receive free school meals, the school holidays can be a struggle. It’s not just the increase in food cost but the pressures associated with keeping children active.”

Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group said: “The opportunities created by this programme are to be greatly welcomed. It is great to see us all pull together to ensure these children receive the education and support they need to guarantee they have the skillset and ability to prepare decent, nutritious meals now and into the future. We are proud to be supporting this initiative to help unlock the potential of all children and young people no matter where they grow up.”

The project in Portadown is a partnership between Oasis Youth Portadown, Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership, Pathways Activities and Presentation Primary School with additional support from the Public Health Agency, food supplier Brakes UK and the Almac Group.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally.

Pathways is the youth engagement delivery team for the Reserve Forces & Cadets Association for Northern Ireland. The team delivers across all communities throughout Northern Ireland, has been in existence for 2 years and has delivered 62,350 places, primarily to the primary and post primary education sectors as well as a variety of community groups.

Meals & More is a charitable programme run by Brakes UK, it works with suppliers and delivery partners to provide holiday clubs across the UK.

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High-demand IT skills being developed at innovative summer camp

admin — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 08:34:39 +0000

Novosco Cloud Camp in partnership with Almac Group returns

The IT engineers of tomorrow are being ‘hothoused’ at an innovative IT infrastructure summer camp this week (7th – 11th August 2017).

Following its successful first year in 2016, Novosco Cloud Camp in partnership with Almac Group returns this week at Belfast Metropolitan College’s Titanic Quarter Campus.

The five-day summer camp, which is free to students aged 16-17 who are enrolled at schools and colleges throughout Northern Ireland, provides first-hand experience in the management and development of IT infrastructure in a fun learning environment.

Professional IT engineers and Belfast Met lecturers are facilitating the camp, which also includes a tour of Novosco’s headquarters at Catalyst in Belfast to allow students to see a world-class managed cloud company in action.

In addition to free registration, all participants are being provided with a free Raspberry Pi computer to keep.

Areas being covered at Novosco Cloud Camp include: networking, Python programming, basic HTML programming, and creating virtual servers.

At the end of the camp, students can keep their individual Raspberry Pi mini computers to continue practicing and honing the skills learned at the camp.

Novosco Managing Director, Patrick McAliskey, said: “Cloud Camp was a real success in 2016 and again we’ve had a big response this year in terms of applicants. We know that there is demand for IT skills in Northern Ireland and that this will grow. But it is evident from the registrations we’ve had in Cloud Camp that there is also real interest in IT careers.

“At Novosco we work hard to develop and retain the expertise we have, but with that comes the responsibility to support the development of the next generation of IT infrastructure engineers, skilled cloud technicians and future project managers. Novosco Cloud Camp is just one part of our commitment to supporting the future of the industry and growing the talent pool in Northern Ireland.

“We are delighted to be working with Almac Group and Belfast Met once again, who too share our commitment to developing the skills of the future in Northern Ireland.”

Andrew Hillis, Group Head of Information Services at Almac Group, commented: “Providing an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally is built upon sound IT infrastructure. Some of the skills that young people are learning at Cloud Camp are crucial to the day-to-day operations of our international organisation. We’re thrilled to play our part alongside Novosco to stimulate interest in IT and encourage potential future employees.

Belfast Metropolitan College’s Principal and CEO, Marie-Thérèse McGivern, added: “It is a privilege to once again host the Novosco Cloud Camp, in partnership with Almac Group, this summer at our Titanic Quarter Campus.

“The college has a rich history in delivering comprehensive courses in ICT and guiding students along the path to future employment for some of Northern Ireland’s leading companies. We are really looking forward to welcoming this year’s campers and supporting them on their informative journey using our excellent facilities and top-class lecturers working alongside Novosco’s talented IT infrastructure engineers.”

Novosco is a managed cloud provider with clients in the public, private and voluntary sectors across the UK and Ireland, including Premiership football teams, police forces, some of the UK’s largest health trusts and many of Northern Ireland’s top companies.

Employing 150 people, Novosco has offices in Belfast, Manchester, Dublin, and Cork.

Novosco was recently shortlisted for ‘Best Cloud Support Provider’ in the 2017 Computing Cloud Excellence Awards – the only Northern Ireland company to make the shortlist.

For more information on Novosco, visit novosco.com.

For more information on the Novosco Cloud Camp, in partnership with Almac Group, visit novoscocloudcamp.com.

ENDS

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Lismore Comprehensive Represents Northern Ireland in Young Enterprise UK final

admin — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 07:06:15 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 3 Jul 2017 – A group of innovative pupils from Lismore Comprehensive is representing Northern Ireland in London this week as they pitch their novel product in the UK final of the Young Enterprise Company of the Year competition.

The group from Year 13 who make up the team called “Never Lace” will be representing Northern Ireland. They have recently been supported in their preparation for the final by Senior Executive members from Almac Group and Danske Bank by sharing their expertise in areas including innovation, marketing, teamwork and presentation skills.

They will be competing against 13 other schools from across the UK. Each group will present their business ideas at the British Film Institute on Thursday 6th July.

Never Lace will be pitching a novel product which enables laces to be easily secured within a light magnetic buckle so that users need never tie their laces again.

The Lismore Comprehensive team members are Conall Brady, Dean Conway, Jamie Leighton, Jordan Greene, Michael Judge, and Se Kelly and will be accompanied to London by their Business Studies teacher and mentor, Mr Francis McVeigh who has directed the group through the entire process. Lismore’s Principal, Mrs Fiona Kane and Mrs K Adams, Governor Chair, will also provide support during the trip.

Conall, Managing Director Never Lace, explained how the idea had come about: “One of our teachers told us about how their four year old son had his laces untied and they got caught when he was going up a moving escalator. It was a traumatic experience for him and his family and we knew there was an opportunity to try to find a solution to this problem. We carried out market research and knew we had discovered a gap in the market that we had to act upon. We researched the product from a safety perspective as we knew it could be beneficial to children, the elderly and to sportspeople. Through working with Almac we have learnt so much about the range of skills needed to run a successful business as well as gaining confidence to go to London and pitch alongside some of the most innovative young teams in the UK.”

Never Lace is soon going to be stocked in Debenhams at Rushmere Shopping Centre in Craigavon after a successful pitch made by the team. The medium sized pharmacy, Northern Pharmacies with outlets across Northern Ireland have also issued a contract and are selling the Never Lace product. Local schools including Special Schools and care homes have also bought the product and Linfield footballer Roy Carroll, who has also played for Manchester United, is now using the product on the pitch, attracting much interest from his team mates who are also keen to use it.

Mr McVeigh commented, “This has been a fantastic inspirational journey, not only for students and their families, but for the entire school community. Students have gained entrepreneurial knowledge and developed many skills and qualities from their experiences. These young entrepreneurs are a strong, talented group of friends who have turned business partners and have started something special.”

Oonagh Murtagh, Head of South Business Centre at Danske Bank, said: “I really enjoyed working with this brilliant group of students as they prepared for the chance to pitch their exciting product at the Young Enterprise UK final. It is a fantastic achievement to have reached this level and hopefully the feedback and advice we as mentors gave them during our sessions will stand the team in good stead for their presentation. Danske Bank is always keen to support entrepreneurship and to encourage innovation, particularly amongst the many talented young people we have at schools right across Northern Ireland. The bank congratulates Lismore Comprehensive and the Never Lace team on reaching this stage of the competition and I wish them all the very best as they compete against the schools from other parts of the UK.”

Kevin Reid, VP of Corporate Marketing at Almac, said: “I have personal experience with the fantastic work undertaken by Young Enterprise and am aware how great an opportunity it is for these pupils to go to London and pitch their novel product. They are promoting an exciting product and are running a financially successful company which is worthy of high praise. But they also have overcome challenges along the way, finding solutions to problems that many businesses face and they have learned that continuous improvement, application of skills and innovation are all essential to business success. We congratulate them for reaching this stage of the competition and wish them the very best as they head to London. As one of Northern Ireland’s leading companies in the field of innovation we are delighted to be able to share our expertise with local schools and start-up businesses and help support the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

ENDS

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown over almost 50 years and now employs in 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Almac Group scoops top prize at Made in the UK Awards

admin — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 12:45:25 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 23 Jun 2017 – Almac Group, the established contract development and manufacturing organisation, has been recognised as the UK’s top manufacturer in the Medical/Life Sciences and Healthcare industry at the Made in the UK Awards.

As a result of being selected as the regional winner in the Made in Northern Ireland Awards, presented on 12^th May in Belfast, Almac Group was automatically entered to compete in the Made in the UK Awards as Northern Ireland’s representative for the category. Almac Group beat off strong competition from Crawford Healthcare, North West and Tissuemed, Yorkshire.

The event, which welcomed over 500 manufacturers from across the UK, was held on Thursday 22^nd June 2017 in the Titanic Hotel, Liverpool.

The ceremony organisers, Insider Media, designed the awards to recognise and reward manufacturing companies based in the UK which have demonstrated success in innovation, product development and growth in either domestic or overseas markets.

Kevin Reid, VP Corporate Marketing, who collected the award during the prestigious ceremony commented: “Almac Group are delighted to be named as the top UK manufacturer in the Medical/Life Sciences and Healthcare industry. We aim to ensure our products and services are innovative and of the highest quality for our global customer base. This award is testament to the commitment, talent and expertise of our colleagues, each of whom are dedicated to our vision to advance human health worldwide.”

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS^® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

To keep up to date with our latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Recognised as a Top 50 Company for Transatlantic Operations

admin — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 07:20:29 +0000

Souderton, US, June 19, 2017– Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, is delighted to have received recognition as a US-Ireland Top 50 Company for its commitment to building prosperity through business and job creation.

The Irish Echo Newspaper’s 10th Annual Awards Luncheon highlights companies who exhibit dedication to strengthening international trade between the US and Northern Ireland. The luncheon emphasises a commitment to future progress and prosperity between the citizens of New York, NY, US and Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, while celebrating a shared history and past.

Almac received the award by demonstrating long-term growth by expanding venture in its US and Northern Ireland operations and investing more than $56 million combined, which will create more than 700 full-time jobs. As a result of this investment, Almac’s global headcount will increase to over 5,000 by the end of 2017. These expansions are supported by the Office of International Business Development, Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland, The Republic of Ireland’s inward investment promotion agency.

Mark Weir, US Group Financial Controller, commented: “At a time when our commitment to expanding operations in the US and Northern Ireland is strong, we are delighted to receive recognition as a US-Ireland Top 50 Company. By broadening performance and job opportunities, Almac is dedicated to mutual growth. Our company’s history is shaped by relationships and they remain fundamental to Almac’s future.”

This worldwide recognition showcases Almac’s mission in ‘partnering to advance human health’ by making continued investments into the communities it serves. Almac understands its advantage by offering industry-leading products and services to broaden the Group’s impact in the US, Northern Ireland, and worldwide.

To find out more about this award and request a meeting or information e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

Ends

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown almost 50 years and now employs in excess of 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

The post Almac Group Recognised as a Top 50 Company for Transatlantic Operations appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Reports Pre-tax Profits of £27M

lorrainemcclay — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:00:13 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 7 Jun 2017 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has reported pre-tax profits of almost £27M.

Growth in revenue for the global company was recorded at 14% higher than the previous year at £447M.

Globally, employee figures increased by 12% to 3,975. Of this total 2,650 staff are employed at Craigavon, representing an increase of 421 on the previous year.

The figures were recorded in Almac’s annual report with its results for the year ending 30 September 2016.

2015 pre-tax profit was recorded at £28M, however that year’s figures included $20M income from out-licensing oncology products and diagnostics tests developed in-house by Almac Diagnostic Services. No such R&D contribution was included in the £27M for 2016.

2016 saw significant investment on expanding Almac’s US Headquarter site in Souderton, Pennsylvania in addition to leasing new office space in nearby Lansdale in response to increased client demand for its services.

The company also recently announced a £5M investment at its Global HQ campus in Craigavon to build an additional lab and office facility whilst further considerable investment has been made in other operational sites in North Carolina, Ireland and Asia. Further investment is being planned as part of its global expansion strategy and will be announced throughout the year.

Group CEO, Alan Armstrong commented “2016 was a very successful year for Almac as we continued to deliver upon our global expansion strategy including investment of around £31 million in new facilities, equipment and resources. All our profits are reinvested into the business enabling us to offer best-in-class services and products to our clients.”

ENDS

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately-owned organisation that has organically grown almost 50 years and now employs in 5600 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

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Irish Ambassador to US will present distinguished awards to Beneficial Bank, Eileen McDonnell, and Sean Rooney

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 10:41:48 +0000

Philadelphia, PA, (27 January 2017) – The Irish American Business Chamber & Network has announced the 2017 recipients of their highest awards. The Ambassador Award will be presented to Beneficial Bank, with President and CEO, Mr. Gerard Cuddy in attendance to accept the award. The Taoiseach Award honoree is Ms. Eileen McDonnell; the Uachtarán Award will be presented to Sean Rooney. The Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, Anne Anderson, will confer the awards.

The Ambassador Award is presented each year to a member company that has helped to carry out the Chamber’s mission of strengthening business and educational ties between Ireland and the United States. Past honorees include Almac Group, QVC, SAP, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Shire Plc, Aramark, The Vanguard Group, ICON Plc, Amicus Therapeutics, Siemens, Wyeth, ICT Group, GMAC Commercial Holding Corporation, and Cross Atlantic Capital Partners.

Founded in 1853, Beneficial Bank is the oldest and largest bank headquartered in Philadelphia. The Bank’s original purpose was to give Philadelphia’s growing Irish immigrant work force a safe place to keep their savings. Beneficial Bank continues this mission today, focusing on doing what is right for their customers.

The Taoiseach, or “Chieftain,” Award complements the Ambassador Award by recognising individuals of Irish decent who have exemplified leadership and compassion. The recipient of this year’s Taoiseach Award is Eileen C. McDonnell , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. Before joining Penn Mutual, she was president of New England Financial, a wholly owned subsidiary of MetLife, and senior vice president of the Guardian Life Insurance Company. Ms.

McDonnell is a former member of the Master of Science in Management faculty at The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa., where she held the newly endowed chair for Women and Financial Services and was author of “Marketing Financial Services to Women.” She was honored in 2014 and 2015 in Irish America’s Annual Business 100 list and in 2016 to the magazine’s Top 50 Power Women’s list, honouring the best and the brightest Irish-American and Irish-born business leaders.

The Uachtarán, or “President’s,” Award honors Ireland’s president and that office’s tradition of building cultural and economic alliances. The recipient of this year’s Uachtaran Award is Mr. Sean Rooney, Founder of The Kelly Rooney Foundation. Sean is devoted to community and charity work. Sean started the Kelly Rooney Foundation, named after his late-wife who passed away in 2006 from breast cancer. Through partnerships with Breastcancer.org and The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, The Kelly Rooney Foundation seeks to be a catalyst for helping create a generation of women who are breast cancer- free. The Kelly Rooney Foundation marked its 10th year anniversary this summer and celebrates hitting in excess of $1 million in its fundraising efforts, granting $250,000 to Breastcancer.org for education and awareness programs to help young women make healthy lifestyle choices to reduce their risk of getting breast cancer.

The Ambassador of Ireland to the United States

Her Excellency Anne Anderson became Ireland’s first woman Ambassador to the United States in August 2013. Prior to her Washington appointment, she was Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Her previous postings, among others, include: Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations, New York; Ambassador to France (concurrently non-resident Ambassador to Monaco); and Permanent Representative of Ireland to the European Union, Brussels.

About the Irish American Business Chamber & Network, Inc

The Irish American Business Chamber & Network is a nonpartisan business organization dedicated to promoting the interests of its members and the development of economic and educational relationships between the United States and the Island of Ireland. The chamber provides growth opportunities to its members through a series of monthly networking forums, programs and a broad range of services. Its members span the Philadelphia, Delaware and New Jersey tri-state area and include Irish based companies with strong interests in this region

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Almac Group Hosts Official Visit by British Deputy Consul General

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 09:21:23 +0000

Global organisation congratulated for celebrating 20 years in North America

Souderton, P.A., 21^st February 2017 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, was delighted to host an official visit by the British Consulate on Tuesday 21^st February to its state-of-the-art US headquarters in Souderton.

Almac recently marked 20 years in the US and, in November, the Group announced it was investing $25 million to expand its 240,000-square-foot facility in Souderton.

The expansion project involves substantial investment in new machine lines, computer equipment, software and an expanded cold storage area and will create 312 jobs across a wide range of functions and increases capabilities for its Sciences, Clinical Services, Clinical Technologies and Pharma Services businesses.

Ross Allen, Deputy Consul General and US Director of the Department for International Trade was accompanied by John Hoggard, Vice Consul and US Healthcare Sector Lead, at the meeting at Souderton. Mark Weir, Almac’s US Group Financial Controller, presented a comprehensive overview of Almac’s history, global presence, and US operations which was followed by a private tour of the manufacturing facility provided by Rich Segiel, Vice President, Business Development, Almac Clinical Services.

For almost 50 years, Almac, which is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, has been delivering the most comprehensive range of integrated drug development services available to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry. The Group first established a presence in the US in 1996 with the opening of its clinical trial operations in Audubon, Pennsylvania. By 2000, Almac had expanded its North American presence into North Carolina through the acquisition of Applied Clinical Concepts Inc (ACCI) and Duke Clinical Research Institute Pharmacy (DCRIP) which merged to form Almac Clinical Services based in the Research Triangle Park, Durham.

Mark Weir commented: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to meet with the Vice Consul and Deputy Consul General today and showcase our facility and capabilities, right here in Pennsylvania. Our commitment to the PA State was strengthened in November when we announced a $25 million investment to expand our operations both here and in Lansdale, creating over 300 new jobs, and we very much look forward to continuing our success in the US.”

“I am extremely impressed by the Almac team and their Souderton facility. Almac has a very interesting history and a focused mission” said Ross Allen. “The team are really passionate about their jobs, and rightly so: they are doing some great work that ultimately benefits huge numbers of patients. Almac has found there is an opportunity for their unique services and, in so doing, is bringing jobs and prosperity to both the UK and US.”

By expanding its operations in Europe and North America Almac’s global headcount is expected to reach 5,000 this year. The company is currently seeking exceptional, high-skilled individuals to fill roles at Souderton in areas including IT, business development, quality, production and project management. More information at almacgroup.com/careers/us-careers/

Ends

For further information:

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over 40 years and now employs in excess of 4,500 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

About Department of International Trade

The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) has overall responsibility for promoting UK trade across the world and attracting foreign investment to the UK. We are a specialised government department with responsibility for negotiating international trade policy, supporting business, as well as delivering an outward-looking trade diplomacy strategy.

To find out how to grow your global business click here.

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Almac Group Announces Further Global Expansion as it Secures New Premises in Republic of Ireland

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 09:22:20 +0000

Craigavon based global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, Almac Group, has secured new premises in Dundalk, County Louth to support its ongoing global expansion plans in response to increased client demand.

Almac will make a £ multimillion investment in the new facility at IDA Business Park. The expansion has been supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland, Ireland’s inward investment promotion agency.

The facility will be utilised by Almac Pharma Services and Almac Clinical Services, both of which are registered to operate in the Republic of Ireland. The new premises increases the Group’s European footprint by 32,000sq ft and provides continued presence within the European Union in the long term.

This investment comes just weeks after Almac confirmed ambitious plans to expand its operations at its global Headquarters in Northern Ireland with the construction of a new laboratory and additional office facilities. The company simultaneously announced investment at its North American site creating an additional 300 new, full time jobs. These investments will see an increase of Almac’s global headcount to over 5,000 by the end of 2017.

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group commented: “This latest investment in Dundalk is a further example of Almac’s ambitious global expansion plans and will deliver up to an additional 100 new jobs within the first two years. This news comes in addition to our recent announcement of a £27m investment at our global Headquarter site in Craigavon, our US operations and our European facility in Athlone. All of this is evidence of Almac’s commitment to provide best-in-class products and services to our clients across the world and we would like to thank all those who have supported us to date.”

Welcoming the investment by Almac, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said: “This is a very exciting project for Dundalk and builds on the strong cluster of multinational companies who have very successfully located in that town in recent years and who have found it a great base from which to promote their sales into other EU Member States. Ireland’s expertise in the Pharma sector is unrivalled, with virtually all the major international players having operations here, thus generating synergies and opportunities for new companies investing with us. These additional 100 jobs to be provided are very welcome and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial engagement with Almac into the future”.

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said “Almac’s decision to expand into Dundalk provides the company with certainty of access to the European Union in the long term– this certainty of access is an increasingly important selling point for Ireland as we look to win business for Ireland. IDA Ireland will continue to promote Ireland as an ideal location for companies from a range of sectors including pharmaceuticals, IT and financial services that are looking to ensure that they have a presence in the European single market.”

This investment strengthens Almac’s existing presence in the Republic of Ireland following the acquisition of Arran Chemical Company facility in Athlone in 2015. The facility has expanded the company’s biocatalysis services, which is part of Almac’s Sciences Business Unit.

Ends

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The post Almac Group Announces Further Global Expansion as it Secures New Premises in Republic of Ireland appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Trio are Masters of Work and Study

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 11:47:54 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., 12^th December 2016 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, is honoured to support three of its employees through a new, tailored MSc Pharmaceutical Analysis degree undertaken at Queen’s University Belfast.

The Almac Sciences’ employees, Alison Quinn (Analytical Chemist), Robert Elliott (Data & Document Reviewer) and Laura McGee (Chemist) graduated together during a ceremony held at QUB on Friday 9^th December.

In an effort to encourage young people and students to continue their study of science, in particular, chemistry, Almac contributed vital input into the MSc curriculum and helped shape its programmes. Employees across Almac Sciences were invited to express interest in undertaking a two-year, part-time course and the three who put their names forward were funded by the organisation and went on to pass the intensive programme.

During their studies Laura, Robert and Alison continued to work four days a week at Almac’s global Headquarters in Craigavon, where they used their enhanced understanding of theoretical analytical techniques taken from the degree programme to better develop and troubleshoot analytical methods for Almac’s clients. Almac benefited greatly from the increased knowledge and applied learning introduced to the business whilst enabling the Graduates to progress and develop their own career from within.

Considering the success of this years’ graduates and the positive impact on both an individual and business level, Almac will continue to fund and support employees through this Pharmaceutical Analysis Master’s Degree for the foreseeable future. Two more employees have already enrolled in this year’s course and this number is expected to grow in the future as more new graduates are recruited into the business.

Stephen Barr, President & MD, Almac Sciences commented: “This is a unique opportunity for our employees to be part of something new which will enable them to develop their career whilst bringing insight and new techniques to our business. We are also proud to support other initiatives which drive interest in science and encourage young people to become equipped with the skills and qualifications needed by world leading life sciences companies such as Almac.”

Almac founder Sir Allen McClay, who died in 2010, was a long-time supporter of Queen’s University. He was the founding Chair of the Queen’s University of Belfast Foundation and one of the largest benefactors to Queen’s in the University’s history. The McClay Research Centre for Pharmaceutical Sciences in the School of Pharmacy, which bears his name, was funded by The McClay Trust, a charitable body which he established.

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

https://www.almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Team Up with Irish American Business Chamber & Network for Life Sciences Forum

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 10:51:45 +0000

Souderton, PA, USA – November 17^th, 2016 – The Irish American Business Chamber and Network (IABCN) has teamed up with their 2016 Ambassador Award honouree, Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, to host a life sciences forum. The event is an interactive symposium featuring pharmaceutical/life sciences and commercial industry experts who will come together to discuss major trends in drug development, the cost of healthcare and impact on patients and our economy. The intent of the forum, scheduled for November 17^th, 2016 at 1pm, is to explore big pharma’s role in shaping patient wellness and our economy. Almac is sponsoring the forum and will host the event at its North American Headquarters in Souderton, PA. Other sponsors include KYW Newsradio and PixarBio.

Panellists for the event include Brendan Fenton, Regional Finance Director for Australia, Canada and Western Europe for Bristol-Myers Squibb, John Barry, Head of Portfolio Sourcing and Relationship Management, Merck Research Laboratories at Merck & Co., and Michael Sapienza, Chief Executive Officer of The Colon Cancer Alliance. The panel will be moderated by George Tiger, Vice President Global Business Development, Almac Clinical Technologies. The discussion will span dynamic industry topics including the greatest challenges faced today and the next generation of future collaborations that will be needed, the impact of the pharmaceutical industry in the broader economy, the pharmaceutical business model and risk profile and patient advocacy and engagement.

George commented: “We are delighted to be working with the British American Business Council and the Irish American Business Chamber and Network of Philadelphia on this initiative. It is a fantastic opportunity to share knowledge and discuss the pertinent topics relating to our industry – in addition to sharing a platform with experts and key opinion leaders from across the pharmaceutical spectrum.”

The Irish American Business Chamber & Network, Inc. (IABCN) is a nonpartisan business organisation promoting the interests of its members and the development of economic and educational relationships between the United States and the Isle of Ireland.

For more information, visit iabcn.org or email abarry@iabcn.org.

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to over 600 companies globally within the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organization that has organically grown over 40 years and now employs in excess of 4,500 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in Ireland, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

For more information visit – almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Announce £27 million Global Expansion

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 16:27:48 +0000

Almac Group Announce £27 million Global Expansion

Global Headcount Set to Reach 5,000 by 2017

Craigavon, N.I., 10^th November 2016 – Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation is excited to announce ambitious plans to expand its operations in Europe and North America increasing its global headcount to reach 5,000 by 2017.

As part of its ongoing global growth strategy and in response to increased client demand for its range of services the organisation will invest a further £20 million at Almac’s US headquarter site in Souderton, Pennsylvania to expand its existing 240,000-square-foot facility in addition to leasing a 26,000-square-foot office space in nearby Lansdale.

The expansion project will create 312 new, full time jobs across a wide range of functions and increases capabilities for its Sciences, Clinical Services, Clinical Technologies and Pharma Services businesses. The company received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development comprised of a £1.3 million Pennsylvania First Program grant and involves substantial investment in new machine lines, computer equipment, software and an expanded cold storage area.

The company is also investing in the region of £5 million to build an additional laboratory and office facility at its global headquarters site in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. Around 170 existing employees will be transferred to the new building, many of whom are chemists and analysts involved in supporting drug research, development and manufacture.

An additional £2 million is being invested in the development of the Arran Chemical Company facility in Athlone, Ireland which was acquired by Almac last year. The capital project is enabling an upgrade of the existing site infrastructure and brings additional manufacturing capacity and assets on stream as well as more distillation and drying capabilities. Together, the expansion plans facilitates significant growth of the Almac Sciences business, which is vital to meet ongoing demand for its innovative API and chemical development services, with global headcount within this Business Unit alone expected to reach over 500 by next year – more than double its figure just three years ago.

In total, the Almac Group employs over 4,600 staff globally and is set to reach 5,000 by the end of 2017.

Secretary Dennis M. Davin from the Pennsylvanian Department of Community and Economic Development announced Almac’s plans during a visit to its North American Headquarter facility on Thursday 10^th November. This announcement comes just weeks after the company announced a £4.2 million expansion at its facility in North Carolina.

Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf welcomed the news: “In 2007, Almac Group invested $100 million, retained 495 jobs, and created another 264 jobs, when it successfully established its U.S. headquarters in Pennsylvania,” said Governor Wolf. “Since then, we’ve seen Almac Group’s significant contributions to the economic vitality of the region as a major player in south-eastern Pennsylvania’s strong bio-pharma industry, and we look forward to its continued success as it once again chooses Pennsylvania for its operations expansion.”

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group commented “Due to significant industry demand for our services it is essential we build capacity and increase headcount to ensure we continue to compete at a global level. This year we are celebrating our twentieth year in the US and we are excited to make a further commitment within the Pennsylvania State and throughout North America. We are also delighted to announce our further expansion plans across Europe as we continue to build upon our tremendous global success and we are looking forward to an exciting future.”

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery development and commercialisation, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

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Almac Group Celebrates 20 Years in North America with $5.2 million Expansion Creation of 79 Additional Jobs in North Carolina

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 17:05:16 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., UK, – Tuesday 20 September 2016 Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, is celebrating 20 years in North America by announcing a $5.2 million investment and the creation of almost 80 new jobs across its Durham, North Carolina facilities.

Almac first established presence in the US in 1996 with the opening of its clinical trial operations in Audubon, Pennsylvania. By 2000, Almac had expanded its North American presence into North Carolina through the acquisition of Applied Clinical Concepts Inc (ACCI) and Duke Clinical Research Institute Pharmacy (DCRIP) which merged to form Clinical Trial Services based in the Research Triangle Park, Durham.

“This latest investment and increase in capacity at our Durham facility is a sign of our continuing commitment to offer market driven solutions to our client base,” says Donna Christopher, Global VP Operations, Almac Clinical Services. We are delighted to mark our 20^th year in the US with such a significant announcement – once again reinforcing our dedication to global expansion.”

Having experienced tremendous success in the North Carolina state over the past 16 years, it has been recognised as a significant hub for growth. Almac’s $5.2 million investment will see the expansion of its Clinical Services facility along with the development of its Diagnostics and Clinical Technologies operations based in the same area. Almac currently employs over 1,600 individuals across 6 facilities in the US, and almost 3,000 people based in Europe and Asia.

Closing in on its fifth decade of operations, Almac is firmly established as a market leader in the provision of world-class pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing services. With further expansion in Asia and acquisitions in the UK and Ireland recently announced, Almac’s footprint is stronger than ever, positioning the organisation to better assist its global clients by providing services in their own region.

Commenting on this 20 year milestone, Robert Dunlop, President & Managing Director, Almac Clinical Services said: “Almac’s commitment to our customers remains as strong as it was when we first opened in the US twenty years ago. Our ongoing success would be impossible without the support and loyalty of our dedicated employees who remain committed to Almac’s vision. We are delighted to announce further investment in our Durham facilities enabling us to continue to support our clients’ needs and meet the increased demands for our integrated services and I look forward to our continuing success over the next twenty years and beyond.”

About Almac Group
‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

For more information visit almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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Almac Appoints New Vice President of Corporate Marketing

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 12:39:38 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., UK – 2 June 2016 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Reid to the position of Vice President of Corporate Marketing.

Kevin’s role will be to lead Almac’s Global Corporate Marketing team, support each of Almac’s business units in the design, management and implementation of their marketing plans as well as driving the overall Almac Group communications.

Kevin brings to this role extensive Corporate Marketing experience. Most recently he held the lead marketing position with BDO Ireland and previously headed up the marketing function for Associated Newspapers Ireland. Kevin’s experience also includes management roles with Planet 24 Television and Carlton Television. He graduated from the University of Stirling with a BA Hons in History before continuing his studies at the University of Strathclyde and gaining a Bachelor of Law (LLB).

Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac Group commented:

“We are delighted to welcome Kevin to Almac. His impressive track record in management and marketing will bring a wealth of experience and support to the existing global marketing team. We know that Kevin will have a profound impact on the delivery and success of Almac’s future expansion plans.”

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over 40 years and now employs in excess of 4,000 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

For more information visit almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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Almac Wins Three CMO Leadership Awards

admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 15:48:36 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., UK, – 23 March 2016 We are pleased to announce that we have once again been selected as winners at this years’ CMO (Contract Manufacturing Organisation) Leadership Awards for the fifth year. The award was presented to VP of Commercial Operations, David Downey at an exclusive ceremony and reception in New York last week (16 March).

The awards are developed by Life Science Leader with the sole purpose of recognising the industry’s top CMO’s. The research was carried out by Industry Standard Research (ISReports.com) and based on their Contract Manufacturing Quality Benchmarking annual online survey. More than 80 contract manufacturers were evaluated on 26 different performance metrics.

There are five CMO Leadership Award core categories: Quality, Reliability, Capabilities, Expertise, and Compatibility. Multiple performance metrics feed into each of these award categories to give added confidence to Almac. Almac has emerged as the winner of three of these categories:

COMPATIBILITY – Met customers’ expectations
QUALITY – Met customers’ expectations
RELIABILITY – Met customers’ expectations

David Downey, VP Commercial Operations commented:

We are pleased to have received yet another CMO Leadership Award for these three key categories. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide high quality, flexible and innovative solutions to meet our global clients’ requirements and these awards are recognition of our teams’ ongoing commitment to deliver just that.”

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

Almac Diagnostic Services is one of six business units operating under the ownership of the Almac Group. The global company partners with the biopharmaceutical industry supporting the discovery, development and delivery of companion diagnostics. In addition, Almac Diagnostic Services has a pipeline of proprietary oncology based tests in development in therapeutic areas including breast, colon, ovarian, prostate and lung cancer.

For more information visit almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group Win Irish American Business Chamber Award in USA

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 19:11:46 +0000

Craigavon, N.I., UK, – 2 March 2016 – The Almac Group has become the first company from Northern Ireland to be presented with the prestigious Ambassador Award for 2016 by the Irish American Business Chamber and Network.

The Ambassador Award is given annually to a member company that has helped to carry out the Chamber’s mission of strengthening business and educational ties between Ireland and the United States. Kevin Stephens, Finance Director of the Almac Group received the award from Barbara Jones, Irish Consul General to the USA on behalf of Anne Anderson, Irish Ambassador to the USA at a ceremony in Philadelphia, USA.

Thanking the Chamber Kevin Stephens said,

“It is a real privilege to accept the Irish American Business Chamber Ambassador Award for 2016 on behalf of the Almac Group. It is even more of an honour to be the first company in Northern Ireland to receive this accolade. It is a very welcome recognition of our ongoing contribution to the economies of both the US and Northern Ireland and something of which we can all be very proud.”

The Almac Group employs almost 1,500 people in its operations in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

The Irish American Business Chamber and Network Ambassador Awards primary purpose is to promote the interests of its members and the development of economic and educational relationships between the US, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

About Almac Group – ‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to over 600 companies globally within the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS^® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through tocommercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over 30 years and now employs in excess of 4,000 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

For further information, visit almacgroup.com or e-mail media@almacgroup.com.

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Almac Group’s Asia Pacific Headquarters Receives Official Health Science Authority (HSA) Accreditation

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 08:28:04 +0000

Singapore, 7 September 2015

Following on the recent announcement; ‘Almac Group Expands Asia Pacific Presence with New Regional Headquarters and Clinical Trial Supply Facility in Singapore’ (10 July 2015) detailing the successful completion of the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) inspection of their new Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, Almac can now officially confirm that, as a result of this inspection, the facility has received full GMP accreditation.

“We’re delighted to obtain the Health Sciences Authority’s certification of our Singapore facility,” commented Paul O’Connor, Global VP of Quality for Almac Group. “This development makes Almac the first full service clinical trial packaging and distribution organisation to ever receive GMP accreditation and solidifies Almac’s commitment to provide the highest possible standard of service to our customers in Asia Pacific and indeed around the world.”

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation that provides an extensive range of integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors globally. The services range from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS) through to commercial-scale manufacture.

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over 30 years and now employs in excess of 3,700 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations in the UK, across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

For more information, please contact:

Ruder Finn Asia

Ayuni Ali

Senior Account Executive

D: +65 6336 8750

E: alia@ruderfinnasia.com

Prasanthi Nair

Account Executive

D: +65 6336 6742

E: nairs@ruderfinnasia.com

The post Almac Group’s Asia Pacific Headquarters Receives Official Health Science Authority (HSA) Accreditation appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Expands Asia Pacific Presence with New Regional Headquarters and Clinical Trial Supply Facility in Singapore

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 11:22:58 +0000

Jim Murphy and Dr Robert Dunlop Officially Open Almac’s New Singapore Headquarters

Singapore, 10 July 2015 – Almac Group, the global contract development and manufacturing organisation, today announced the successful completion of the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) inspection of their new Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore.The new facility, which officially opens on 10 July 2015, enables Almac to expand on the unique suite of clinical trial primary and secondary packaging, distribution, technology and consultation solutions offered from within the region. This allows Almac to even better serve their Asia Pacific pharmaceutical clients either conducting regional trials or expanding to international markets as well as global clients who are conducting pharmaceutical clinical trials in the region.“Asia Pacific is a vital region for us, as currently 23% of global clinical trials for new pharmaceutical products are being conducted here. By basing our regional headquarters and operations in Singapore, we are better equipped to support our Asia-based clients in their own time zone and languages”, said Dr Robert Dunlop, President & Managing Director of Almac’s Clinical Services business unit. “With the opening of our new Singapore facility, we are directly supporting studies run by regional and global pharmaceutical firms by providing critical manufacturing, packaging, supply chain management and Interactive Response Technology (IRT) support services in Asia Pacific.”

“We welcome Almac’s investment into the vibrant ecosystem of biomedical sciences companies in Singapore,” said Mr. Kevin Lai, Executive Director of Biomedical Sciences and Consumer Businesses, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). “Their decision reinforces Singapore’s reputation as a preferred location where companies manage their clinical development and supply chain management for the region and beyond.”

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) inspection of the new facility ensuring standards of safety, quality and efficacy will make Almac the first full service clinical trial packaging and distribution organisation to ever receive GMP certification. This facility strengthens the Group’s global footprint with facilities in Europe, the US and Singapore, as well as satellite offices in Japan.

The Singapore facility has full-service equipment which includes primary packaging rooms, secondary packaging areas, frozen storage, label control room, a Just-in-Time (JIT) labelling suite and non-GMP storage area offering clients in the region a streamlined, personalised, turnkey solution which ultimately optimises their clinical trial.

For more information on Almac’s Asia Pacific Facility, click here.

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Almac Group Named UK Trade & Investment Winner in Final of the European Business Awards 2014/5

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 11:01:21 +0000

Craigavon , UK – 27 May 2015 Almac Group was last night named the winner of ‘The UKTI Award for Innovation’ in the final of this year’s European Business Awards, sponsored by RSM, at an exclusive awards ceremony held in London attended by prominent businesses leaders, European ambassadors and political representatives from the EU.The win celebrates the end of a yearlong journey for Almac that began in spring 2014 when the European Business Awards engaged with over 24,000 businesses at the entry stage of the competition. After being named one of 709 National Champions from 33 countries in November, the company took part in the public vote, which generated 174,000 votes, a record-breaking year.

Almac was then announced as one of the 110 Ruban d’Honneur finalists in February and underwent a final face-to-face presentation with a judging panel. Last night they were crowned one of the 11 category winners in front of the best businesses in Europe.

Michael Sloan, VP Business Development, Almac Diagnostic Services, commented on collecting the award: “We are absolutely thrilled to be chosen as one of the top 11 businesses in Europe. This is a major accolade for us as The European Business Awards programme is widely recognised as one of the most challenging competitions in Europe presided over by an esteemed panel of judges.”

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “Our winners are shaping the face of European business and ensuring Europe’s position as a leading player on the global business stage. Huge congratulations to Almac for their success.”

Jean Stephens, CEO of RSM, the 7th largest network of independent audit, tax and advisory firms, said: “The extraordinary entrepreneurialism, innovation and business success demonstrated by this year’s winners shows how much can be achieved in challenging market conditions. They are all a credit to their country and we wish them every success for the future.”

In the 2014/15 competition, all EU member markets were represented plus Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Their combined revenue exceeded €1.5 trillion, and together they generated profits of over 60 billion Euros and employ over 2.5 million people.

The European Business Awards’ primary purpose is to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. For further information about the European Business Awards and its winners please go to www.businessawardseurope.com.

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Almac Crowned overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:30:34 +0000

Craigavon pharmaceutical development company Almac has been crowned overall winner in this year’s Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards at the final at the Mansion House in Dublin.

It’s the fourth successive time that a Northern Ireland company has won the accolade, this year beating off competition from a record number of entries from across the island of Ireland.

Two other Craigavon headquartered companies also enjoyed success at the national awards final. Avondale Foods was the all-island winner of the Food and Drink Award while Janet McCollum, Chief Executive of Moy Park, won a Judges’ Special Recognition Award for her achievements.

The judges felt that Almac was the stand out company of the finalists noting its state-of-the-art drug discovery, world leading cancer diagnostics, research and development and support of global clinical trials. Employing 3,500 staff worldwide and with a turnover of £350m, the Almac Group was described as “truly a global leader in its field”.

Family owned Avondale Foods, which celebrates its 50th birthday next year is a leading Irish and UK manufacturer of coleslaw, side salads and chilled products, which employs 400. The judges said: “Avondale Foods is a deserving winner of the Food and Drink Award category as they are a well-established company with steady growth which continues to innovate with constant market analysis and serious ambitions to expand further into Europe and beyond.”

Chief Executive of Moy Park Janet McCollum was singled out for her “extraordinary” achievements with a Judges Special Recognition Award. After joining the company in 1993 as European Accountant, she progressed to the Executive Board as Group Finance Director within six years and took up the position of Chief Executive Officer in January 2014.

Ellvena Graham, Head of Ulster Bank Northern Ireland, said:

“The Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards are a highlight of our calendar in Ulster Bank. It gives us the opportunity to recognise and reward great innovation and also gives us the opportunity to meet exceptionally talented people.

The calibre of entries we have seen this year was excellent, from those across the technology, environmental and service industry sectors to those that promote the island’s world-class agriculture and food industries.

Ulster has traditionally punched above its weight in these awards and it’s great news that Almac is keeping the title of Overall Business Achiever in the region for another year. Congratulations to Almac and also to Avondale Foods and Janet McCollum, of Moy Park on their wonderful achievements.”

Doug Cookson, Vice President Corporate Marketing at Almac Group, says:

“We are delighted to be named Overall Business Achiever in these prestigious awards, particularly when pitched against other outstanding companies across all of Ireland. This is a fantastic recognition of the hard work by all our global teams and dedicated employees, without whom this success would not be possible. Huge congratulations to everyone at Almac on making winning this coveted award possible – it is a true honour for all of us.”

The awards are run in association with Invest Northern Ireland, InterTradeIreland, the Belfast Telegraph and SmallBusinessCan.com.

The companies were judged on a variety of merits including financial performance, company milestones and achievements, future strategy for business people and the business and the development of innovative products and services.

Almac will receive a comprehensive prize package including a £40,000 publishing bursary with the Belfast Telegraph or Irish Independent and business mentoring from Enterprise Ireland.

ENDS

Further information on companies and judges’ comments

Overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2014:

Almac Group Ltd

Headquartered in Craigavon, Co. Armagh, Almac is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing an extensive range of integrated services to over 600 companies globally within the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. Services include state-of-the-art drug discovery, world leading cancer diagnostics, research and development, manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients, formulation development and the support of global clinical trials.

The judges felt that this company was the stand out company of the finalists. Employing 3,500 and with a turnover £350m, the Almac Group is truly a global leader in its field with local facilities in Souderton and Audubon (Pennsylvania), Durham (North Carolina), San Francisco (California), Singapore and Tokyo. The company has a strong track record of investing in people.

Food & Drink Award:

Avondale Foods

Celebrating its 50th Birthday in 2015, Avondale Foods is the market leading Irish and UK manufacturer of coleslaw, side salads and chilled products. A family owned company, Avondale Foods is located in County Armagh from where its employs 400 people. The judges commented that Avondale Foods are deserving winners of this category as they are a well-established company with steady growth which continues to innovate with constant market analysis and serious ambitions to expand further into Europe and beyond.

Judges Special Recognition Award:

Janet McCollum, Chief Executive, Moy Park

The 2014 Judges Special Recognition Award is being presented by Ulster Bank Business Women Can to recognise the extraordinary achievements of one of the leading businesswomen on the island of Ireland. Having joined the company in 1993 as European Accountant, Janet McCollum progressed to the Executive Board as Group Finance Director within six years. She assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer on 1 January 2014, with leadership of the Moy Park Europe business which covers the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe. Employing some 12,000 people and with a turnover of over £1.2 billion across 14 sites, there are even bigger plans for the future development of the company.

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Almac raises £9,000 for ovarian cancer charity in memory of employee

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 15:06:03 +0000

Almac has raised more than £9,000 for Angels of Hope, an ovarian cancer charity set up in memory of an employee who died from the condition.

Angels of Hope was established in 2003 by Portadown women Maureen Clarke, after the death of her daughter Julie Clarke, at the age of just 27 in October 2002. Julie worked in Almac’s Clinical Services business unit based in Craigavon.

The money was raised through a raffle organised by the company, with prizes donated by local businesses, clients and suppliers. They included business class return tickets to New York, luxury hotel breaks and tickets for concerts and sporting events as well as iPads and LED televisions.

Elaine Gibson, Almac’s Global Travel and Events Manager, organised the raffle and commented on the total: “We’re delighted that we’ve been able to raise so much money for Angels of Hope to support the charity’s work in raising awareness of ovarian cancer and funding research into the disease.

“Staff at our Craigavon headquarters were very keen to help raise funds in Julie’s memory and as Almac is currently carrying out important research into ovarian cancer, as a company we know that awareness and early detection of the disease is vital in order to try to identify appropriate treatment and increase survival rates.”

Earlier this year it was announced that a test devised by scientists at Almac to identify which ovarian cancer patients will react best to chemotherapy is a step closer to being used by doctors after being validated.

Maureen Clarke, from Angels of Hope, said: “Julie’s positive attitude and bravery throughout her illness both amazed and inspired me and it was her intention, when she recovered, to make more women aware of ovarian cancer, but sadly this was not to be. In keeping with her wishes, in May 2003, Angels of Hope was born.

“Angels of Hope relies solely on money raised from events and the generosity of the public who make donations. Without such generosity we would be unable to continue raising awareness or fund research. Without research we cannot hope to find early detection methods or better treatments for ovarian cancer patients. We greatly appreciate Almac’s donation.”

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Almac continues winning streak at Irish Pharma Industry Awards 2014

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 11:01:52 +0000

Craigavon-based pharmaceutical development company Almac has continued its successful run of winning awards after lifting a top title at the 2014 Irish Pharma Industry Awards.

The global company’s Diagnostics business unit won the Research and Development Achievement Award for its work on the company’s proprietary DNA Damage Repair Deficiency (DDRD) test which helps predict which breast cancer patients are likely to benefit from chemotherapy based on their genetic make-up.

Last year the DDRD technology and intellectual property were exclusively licensed to US-company Genomic Health to further develop, validate and subsequently commercialise the test in a multi-million pound deal.

The Irish Pharma Industry Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the most original and innovative individuals and companies that demonstrate excellence in the Irish Pharma sector. Almac beat off competition from other successful life science and biotech companies, including Aquila Bioscience, Biokinetic Europe and Innopharma Labs to win the R&D award.

Professor Paul Harkin, Managing Director of Almac’s Diagnostics business unit, said: “We are delighted to receive the R&D Achievement award in relation to our highly successful and ground-breaking DDRD test.

“Our developments and expertise in this field have attracted global attention and it is tremendously satisfying when the Irish Pharma Industry Awards judging panel recognised and rewarded our efforts. Huge congratulations to the entire Diagnostics team on winning this award.”

As well as winning two categories in the Aer Lingus Viscount Awards in London, Almac has also been selected as a National Champion in the European Business Awards and was named as the winner of the Best International Business in the Ulster Final of the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards. The company now goes forward for all-island judging against provincial winners in the International Business category of the Business Achievers Awards. Winners will be announced on December 4 at a gala event in Dublin.

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Almac’s PATHWAY™ Points Students in Right Direction for STEM Careers

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:30:04 +0000

Over 500 students from across Northern Ireland will learn about the merits of pursuing a career in STEM subjects from world renowned scientists at Almac during the company’s Schools Outreach Programme this year.

Pathway™ programme which promotes STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as the route to an exciting career was launched at the leading pharmaceutical development firm’s Craigavon headquarters today.

Through the initiative A level and AS level students will take part in tours of the different divisions of the company and meet scientists with varying backgrounds from across the Group, while others will take part in three day work experience placements.

Almac also has strong links with the local universities and each year offer placements to around 60 students on degree and postgraduate courses.

Alan Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of Almac, said: “As one of Northern Ireland’s leading businesses in the life sciences sector, we believe that we have a responsibility to encourage young people here to consider STEM careers which help to grow a dynamic and innovative economy.

“It’s important to us to welcome these students, tell them about what our business does and encourage them to continue studying STEM subjects as they provide an excellent grounding for many careers.”

Stephen Barr, Managing Director of Almac’s Sciences business unit, who oversees the Pathway™ programme, said: “Our STEM Ambassadors play a key role in the success of our Outreach programme. They are Almac employees who are keen to promote STEM subjects and the associated career pathways and they deliver presentations to school groups, facilitate onsite visits and host work experience placements.”

Pupils from the first schools taking part in this year’s outreach programme included those from Lurgan College, Our Lady’s Grammar School in Newry and Shimna Integrated College in Newcastle.

The initiative has been backed by the Department for Employment and Learning. Permanent Secretary of the Department, Derek Baker said: “For the future success of our economy it is vital that we encourage our young people to study STEM courses and educate them about the career opportunities available in the STEM-related industries in Northern Ireland.

“It’s reassuring that a leading, global company like Almac is working with so many young people through its Pathway™ programme to give a valuable insight into what the company does, the interesting jobs that people there perform and the potential routes students can take to pursue successful careers in the sector.”

John Finlay, a chemistry teacher at Lurgan College, said: “We’ve been taking part in Almac’s Schools Outreach Programme for several years and we feel it is a very valuable experience for those studying science subjects.

“We’re keen to provide students with as much career advice as we can in school but seeing the jobs that scientists actually do and having the opportunity to talk to them and tour Almac really helps increase their knowledge about the opportunities that studying science can offer. Several of our students have been inspired to continue their science studies at university level after taking part in the outreach programme.”

The outreach work is part of the company’s CSR strategy which also focuses on charity fundraising and environmental improvement. Over £20,000 has been raised for local charities, including Marie Curie, CLIC Sargent, Autism NI, Southern Area Hospice and Angels of Hope in the last year.

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PA Governor Tom Corbett Praises Almac during Visit

admin — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 08:33:41 +0000

The Almac Group were delighted to welcome Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett to their Souderton based facility on Tuesday 8^th July during which he was given an extensive tour of the state-of-the-art building which included observation of various operations within the production, warehouse and laboratory areas. He also used the opportunity to meet employees and discuss some of the ground-breaking activity being carried out by the Group.

Governor Corbett commented “We’re seeing jobs growing across Pennsylvania and this is just an opportunity to see it here in the middle of Montgomery County.” He praised Almac’s excellence in innovation which has delivered global success for the company and secured a significant number of high value jobs in the Souderton region. He also commended the exceptional financial benefit that Almac contributes to the wider economy which is estimated to be in excess of $20 billion by 2017.

Jim Murphy, President Almac Clinical Technologies Business Unit, commented: “We were delighted to welcome Governor Corbett to our premises here at Souderton so he could see first-hand some of the work carried out by our staff. It is hugely rewarding to be part of a community that recognises the vital importance of sustained economic development and the level of investment that a company like Almac provides.”

The Governor and his staff conveyed their sincere thanks to the entire team for taking time out to host the tour which he found extremely enlightening and he left with a clear understanding of the scale and capability of our operations in addition to our solid Northern Ireland/US links and heritage.

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Almac Launches Recruitment Drive to Fill up to 20 New Positions

admin — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 14:48:31 +0000

Almac is creating up to 20 new positions at its headquarters in Craigavon, most of which will be “high-value” jobs, the company has announced.

The pharmaceutical development company has launched a recruitment campaign, Challenge Yourself, with jobs available ranging from project co-ordinators and project managers to supply chain managers, project leaders and design managers.

Most of the jobs will be based in Almac’s Clinical Business Units, but the company is keen to highlight that candidates do not need to have a scientific background to gain employment.

Almac is holding a recruitment day for project management positions at the Europa Hotel, Belfast, on Wednesday June 18 and staff are keen to meet anyone who thinks they fulfil the requirements for the new jobs.

Dr Kelly Neill, Almac’s Head of Project Services for the UK, commented: “As a global company providing unique services, demand from clients all over the world continues to grow.

“To service that need, we currently have some fantastic opportunities for candidates who are interested in being involved in making a positive difference to human health.

“Working in project management with Almac provides many opportunities for career advancement and those who secure jobs with us face the exciting challenge of working with a dynamic, innovative organisation which offers extremely competitive rewards and benefits.

“We are looking for ambitious people with experience of project management, not necessarily in a scientific area, but there are also vacancies for high calibre graduates.”

Almac provides an extensive range of integrated services to over 600 companies globally within the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors including all the world leaders and the company has seen significant growth in the past few years with staff retention rates remaining high.

It now employs over 3,300 staff across its operations in Craigavon, the US – in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California and its recently opened hubs in Singapore and Japan.

Almac recently announced record pre-tax profits of £19.2m in 2013, up around 30% on the previous year.

The company also saw turnover increase, up by 8% from £300m to £325m.

Almac’s Recruitment day takes place at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Wednesday 18 June from 8:00am to 8:00pm. To register your interest in the event or to find out more information contact recruit@almacgroup.com or visit almacgroup.com/careers.

The company will also be one of the exhibitors at the Northern Ireland Graduate Recruitment Fair on Tuesday 10 June from 11am to 3pm in the Assembly Hall, University of Ulster, Jordanstown.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About Almac Group

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over 30 years and now employs in excess of 3,300 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with operations across the US (Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California) and in Asia (Singapore and Tokyo).

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Almac sees profits increase by 30% as company enjoys record year

admin — Tue, 27 May 2014 08:07:10 +0000

Craigavon-based pharmaceutical development company Almac recorded pre-tax profits of £19.2m in 2013, up around 30% on the previous year, it has announced.

The company also saw turnover increase, up by 8% from £300m to £325m.

Around 3,300 people now work for Almac globally, with over 2,000 based at their Craigavon Headquarter site.

The company has a major US operation in Pennsylvania and recently opened regional hubs in Singapore and Japan to help service increasing demand for its services in the Asian market.

Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac, said: “Our long term objective is to be the leader in our chosen markets and following another successful year I’m pleased to report that we are showing sustained progress in reaching this goal.

“2013 was an exciting year for us with a major jobs boost in Craigavon as we completed a non-GMP drug development facility and expanded our manufacturing capabilities, announced a £13m investment in cancer research projects with Queen’s University and signed a $9m deal with Genomic Health securing the rights to further develop and commericalise our breast cancer test.

“We have continued to invest in research and development and capital programmes and this year is set to be another successful one both at our headquarters in Craigavon and globally, following the opening of our new offices in Asia, and looking ahead to the launch of our new facility in Singapore early next year.”

Almac will open a new clinical trial secondary packaging facility in Singapore at the start of next year to better enable just-in-time supply management and support drug pooling strategies, which further optimise the supply chain, minimise wastage and reduce costs.

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Almac flies high at Aer Lingus Viscount Awards

admin — Thu, 01 May 2014 09:00:00 +0000

Presented with Best Large Business and Overall Excellence Awards

Almac has been awarded with both the Best Large Business and Overall Excellence category awards at the 6^th annual Aer Lingus Viscount Awards in London.

Run in association with Ulster Business Magazine, the awards are designed to honour companies which have forged vital economic ties between Northern Ireland and Great Britain as well as recognising Northern Ireland’s best businesses across a wide spectrum of specialist areas.

The Best Large Business award recognised Almac as the most entrepreneurial large company, excelling in all functions of business by demonstrating significant commitment to producing and marketing its products and services and contributing to the NI/GB commercial relationship.

The award for Overall Excellence was presented to Almac in recognition of the company’s positive contribution and impact on the Northern Ireland economy, strong commercial performance, business growth and innovation in addition to its commitment to export excellence.

Both awards were presented to Almac’s VP Corporate Marketing, Doug Cookson, during an awards luncheon at the Royal Automobile Club in London.

As part of the award ceremony Dr Laura Hill, Almac’s Team Leader Clinical Bioinformatics, participated in a panel session alongside other Northern Ireland business leaders and award judges. Dr Hill discussed Almac’s remarkable progress over the past 12 months and explained how its continual innovation has enabled the company to achieve sustainable growth.

Doug Cookson, VP Corporate Marketing at the Almac Group, said: “We are delighted to have won two prestigious Aer Lingus Viscount Awards. It’s great to be acknowledged for the pioneering work our teams across the globe undertake and we’re proud to be recognised among the best of Northern Irish businesses.

“Our heart is very much based in Northern Ireland but our reach is truly global.

“Some of our notable achievements in the last year include significantly increasing our turnover to £300m, the development of a novel, state of the art, diagnostic test to assist in the treatment of breast cancer and enhancing our existing presence in Asia by starting the development of a new facility in Singapore and opening offices in Japan to further expand support for our customers.”

The awards come just one month after Almac picked up two category awards at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards for Excellence in Innovation and Excellence in Technology in addition to being recognised at The Irish Laboratory Awards by winning “Laboratory Team of the Year” in December.

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Almac Achieves Double Success at Business Award Ceremony

admin — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 16:09:16 +0000

Almac are delighted to announce the exceptional achievement of picking up two category awards at last night’s prestigious Belfast Telegraph Business Award gala ceremony in association with British Airways. The awards are in their 12th year and are the premier symbol in Northern Ireland of commercial, industrial and social enterprise achievements.

The winning “Excellence in Innovation” entry focussed on the development of our Antibody Drug Conjugation (ADC) offering provided by the Science’s biocatalysis group headed up by Professor Tom Moody. Almac has developed the innovative ADC science from the laboratory bench into successful, novel, commercial offerings that are now part of their existing business portfolio.

The trophy was presented by Kevin Traynor, Belfast Telegraph’s Digital Director to Dr William Watters, Isotope Chemistry Manager at Almac’s Sciences Business Unit (pictured above). The other 2 finalists in this category were Core Systems and Randox Laboratories.

The “Excellence in Technology” award recognised the advances made by the Diagnostics team in relation to the recently announced DNA Damage Repair Deficiency (DDRD) research. This new technology offers significant advances in the treatment of cancer and has recently been the subject of a collaboration with US-based Genomic Health Inc to bring its benefits to patients worldwide.

The trophy was collected by Michael Sloan, VP Business Development for the Diagnostics Business Unit from Karen Blair, MD, Cleaver Fulton Rankin who sponsored the award. Other finalists in this category were PathXL and Taggled Ltd.

Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group commented on receiving the honours: “We are delighted to receive these prestigious awards and is a tremendous tribute to the pioneering work carried out on a daily basis by our dedicated and talented teams here at Almac. It is especially pleasing to achieve recognition for our work within the context of such strong local competition and is testimony to the true innovation and technology that we pride ourselves on within the pharmaceutical and biotech industry.”

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Almac Expands Asia Pacific Operations, Establishes Regional Operations Center in Singapore

admin — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:16:29 +0000

Comprehensive support for trials of any size or complexity whether they originate in Asia or include Asian sites

Craigavon, UK – Almac today announced the expansion of its clinical services and technologies capabilities to include on-the-ground leadership as well as technical, project and operational resources in Asia. The company has established regional hubs in Singapore and Japan to better enable the industry’s growing need to conduct clinical trials in Asia and/or manage global trials from the region. Local teams apply insights gained from Almac’s experience managing more than 10,000 trials around the world to design, implement and manage drug supply strategies and efficient technology solutions throughout the life of the study.

“From protocol to patient to kit destruction, Almac delivers high quality, flexible and cost-effective solutions that enable a more comprehensive approach to trial supply management,” says Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac. “No one else can provide the global scale, scope and reach required to optimize sponsors’ R&D investments across every facet of the supply chain — within Asia or around the world.”

Providing expert and responsive service is essential for all trials, but particularly those managed from or within Asia. Sponsors must be able to navigate technical, logistical and clinical complexities from trial start-up through to supply and patient management. Almac’s local teams support studies of all sizes and degrees of complexity, helping sponsors to achieve time-saving efficiencies, reduce costs and improve trial outcomes. Services are augmented by a secure, web-based interface to monitor trial execution anywhere in the world, multi-lingual technical and project teams, and an in-house 24 x 7 x 365 hotline connecting site staff to on-call clinicians and unblinding specialists. By positioning operational resources within the same time zones as where trials are executed, Almac is able to resolve issues in less than 24 hours — which in turn eliminates communications delays and improves patient care.

Almac is strengthening its Asia Pacific offerings by establishing a new secondary packaging facility in Singapore that will open by the end of 2014. Through this facility, the company will better enable just-in-time supply management and support drug pooling strategies, which further optimize the supply chain, minimize wastage and reduce costs.

“With 15 percent of all clinical trials conducted in Asia, it’s imperative that we provide localized service and support to our clients,” continues Armstrong. “We’ve long managed clinical trials on a global basis, but there’s now sufficient critical mass that requires we establish dedicated resources in the region. I’m pleased that our international expertise and global capabilities are now even more accessible to sponsors in this critically-important part of the world, and look forward to opening our new packaging facility later this year.”

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Almac wins Laboratory Team of the Year at The Irish Laboratory Awards 2013

admin — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 09:44:12 +0000

Almac‘s Enzyme Research and Development team have been recognised at The Irish Laboratory Awards by winning “Laboratory Team of the Year.”

The awards, the first of their kind in Ireland, were held to recognise the success and achievements of Ireland’s internationally renowned scientists in areas including innovation, leadership and collaboration, and focus on the on-going work of Irish scientists to grow and develop sustainable, globally competitive science research.

The 30-strong Almac Biocatalysis Team has been at the forefront of innovation and solutions to a large number of Pharmaceutical companies and API manufacturers across the world. Enzymatic technology is increasingly displacing chemical processes, yielding a higher quality product at a more attractive price while making significant benefit to the environment.

Tom Moody, Head of Biocatalysis and Isotope Chemistry at Almac commented, “Our team is recognised globally as a key player in the area of biocatalyst research and development and we are delighted to have won this award.”

“It is now acknowledged that the need for green, economic, robust and scalable processes is at the forefront of customer research plans for the synthesis of chiral APIs and intermediates. This award demonstrates our continued success in this field, and the Enzyme Research and Development team is a key to our future.”

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Almac expands US & UK commercial facilities

admin — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:52:13 +0000

Investments of over $20m enhance Almac’s commercial facilities on both sides of the Atlantic

With the opening of a new commercial packaging facility in the US and enhanced processing capabilities at the company’s Headquarters in Craigavon, UK, investments in the past year has substantially transformed the commercial business unit of Almac.

In Feb 2013, with FDA approval, Almac opened their US commercial packaging facility providing quality driven, flexible packaging solutions for both solid oral dosage forms and biopharmaceutical products.

Meanwhile, expansion continued at Almac’s UK commercial manufacturing and packaging facilities, with the completion of a US client led capital project in support of a key global product launch. This expansion has added significant capacity for commercial fluid bed drying and high speed encapsulation.

Additionally, in response to growing demand from a number of Japanese partners for enhanced flexibility related to larger blister sizes and requirement for non permeability and environmental protection, investment has also been made in state of the art blistering technology with product humidity control.

Due to record sales, growth in one of Almac’s client’s key products and entry into new markets including China, the most recent commercial expansion completed at the UK site was a client led second investment in dedicated facilities, doubling sachet output to 250 million sachets per annum.

David Downey, VP, Commercial Operations notes: “Almac continues to grow in partnership with our clients and is developing a strong reputation for the delivery of complex, time sensitive capital projects in support of growing, innovative products. This level of commercial investment demonstrates our commitment to building long term, strategic relationships.”

For further information on our commercial services, please visit us at CPhI booth # 42L08.

-End-

Notes to Editors

About Almac

‘Partnering to Advance Human Health’

The international company is a privately owned organisation that has organically grown over 30 years and now employs in excess of 3,300 highly skilled personnel. Almac is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with US operations based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

To learn more about Almac please visit almacgroup.com, e-mail info@almacgroup.com or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AlmacGroup.

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ALMAC ANNOUNCES FURTHER EXPANSION AND 229 NEW JOBS

admin — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:44:00 +0000

Following the success of one of its key client partnered products, Craigavon-based pharmaceutical company Almac, has announced the commercial manufacturing expansion. Together with the recent completion of a new non-GMP drug development facility at the Craigavon site this dual expansion represents a total investment of £13.7million, which includes some financial support from Invest Northern Ireland. Over the next three years up to 229 jobs will be created across both projects.

The product, a laxative drug, which is contract manufactured by Almac, has recorded robust sales growth year on year throughout the UK and Europe. With existing facilities at full capacity and further demand forecast in a number of new markets Almac decided to focus all production in Northern Ireland with additional equipment and resources in Craigavon. The investment will deliver blending equipment, an automated packing and integrated cartoning line which will enable high volume bulk commercial manufacturing scheduled to begin in November 2013.

Also at the Craigavon site Almac is experiencing growth through the creation of a new 13,400 square feet formulation development facility and analytical laboratories. This facility focuses on the development of tablet and capsule formulations for new drugs which are in the early stages of development and which have not yet reached the market. The new “non-GMP” facility will enable greater speed in formulation and process development, by creating an environment where development work can be progressed quickly and efficiently, free of many of the constraints usually associated with drug manufacturing.

Graeme McBurney, President & Managing Director of the business unit explains, “The laxative product has been a great success in the UK and increasingly in European markets. The marketing and promotion of the product by our contract customer has been very effective and significant growth potential in several new territories such as China has been identified. Centralising and expanding our production in Craigavon will mean more cost effective manufacturing and optimal quality control and distribution.”

“We are also delighted to see the completion of the new non-GMP facility on site which, alongside Almac’s existing GMP capability, will enable us to operate with improved speed and efficiency in the early stages of projects. This latest addition makes Almac a much more attractive proposition to international clients who seek streamlined, one stop drug development solutions.”

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said, “This investment is good news for Craigavon and will reinforce Northern Ireland’s position in the wider life sciences sector. The 229 new jobs will deliver almost £5.5 million annually in salaries, bringing an important and positive economic boost which will benefit local people.”

“Almac has a reputation for excellence in the international pharmaceuticals sector and today’s announcement will ensure that it remains in a competitive position and can continue to meet the needs of its global client base.”

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Almac Employees Reward Macmillan Belfast, Mindwise Lurgan and Craigavon’s Neonatal Unit in Annual Charity of Choice Survey

admin — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:44:53 +0000

Craigavon-based company Almac has made a £1,000 donation to each of the three charities its employees have selected as part of Almac’s Employee Charity of Choice initiative. The initiative is one of Almac’s various charity programmes aimed at helping individuals and communities in Northern Ireland and further afield. The annual Employee Charity of Choice survey was sent out by Almac’s Charity Committee to all Craigavon-based employees, asking them to select their top three out of six identified charities. Macmillan Cancer Support in Belfast, Mindwise in Lurgan and the Neonatal Unit in Craigavon are this year’s chosen charities.

Almac’s employees boast a very successful track record in terms of fundraising for charities. They regularly participate in charity raffles, organise collections of Christmas presents for disadvantaged children, select their charity of the year and much more. Contributing to supporting local communities is an essential element of the company’s ethos and Almac’s staff are always ready to get involved.

Whether they support cancer patients and their families, individuals suffering from mental illness, or provide medical attention to babies born prematurely or with health concerns, charities rely heavily on the support of local businesses like Almac to sustain their services and alleviate feelings of isolation and powerlessness whilst addressing at the same time practical day-to-day needs in their local community.

Wendy Lyness, Chair of Almac’s Charity Committee, said: “Almac is delighted to support its employees’ choice by awarding £1,000 to Mindwise Lurgan, Macmillan Belfast and the Neonatal Unit in Craigavon. Almac employees have always been very supportive of charities and as a company we have ensured that a relevant committee and programmes were put in place to efficiently promote charitable initiatives and run successful fundraising events. We are delighted that the money has been allocated to such worthy charities and will be used towards caring for vulnerable individuals and communities.”

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You don’t need to wear a lab coat to work at Almac!

admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:11:56 +0000

Keen to dispel the myth that “only scientists may apply”, Almac are hosting a recruitment fair at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Thursday 2 May (8am-8pm) where they will discuss the various Project Management posts and associated benefits currently available at their main Craigavon site.

Although Almac recruits on a rolling basis as its facilities keep expanding, the perception that only candidates with a scientific background will be considered is proving difficult to shift.

To nip this myth in the bud, Almac are hosting their very first recruitment fair to engage on a one-to-one basis with potential candidates and tease out the essential qualities for the available posts. Visitors could well be surprised to discover that they fit Almac’s job profile requirements perfectly, and could end up stepping onto a successful career ladder before spring gives way to summer.

A total of 14 positions are immediately up for grabs in the Clinical Project Services department and will suit candidates with an organised, problem-solving mind combined with good customer skills and a knack for managing project scope and timelines. Over the next few months, eight further Project Management positions will be advertised and the fair offers the perfect opportunity to meet Almac’s recruitment specialists and be noticed.

Abi Pesun, Director of Clinical Project Services of Almac’s Clinical Technologies business unit, says “Scientific and clinical services cannot function to optimal efficiency without the essential support our existing 50 Project Managers provide. We are looking forward to bringing in more enthusiastic Project Managers with varied specialities encompassing IT, logistics, customer service and more.

“Aside from working for an award-winning business offering excellent working conditions, employees also have access to opportunities for learning and development, helping them to secure professional roots and develop within the Almac family. We hope the recruitment fair will dispel misconceptions about Almac and show that indeed it takes all kinds to make Almac the extremely successful company it has become over the years.”

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Almac Successfully Completes Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Queens University with Highest Accolade

admin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:47:28 +0000

Almac is pleased to announce the successful completion of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Queens University, Belfast to develop, improve and embed bioprocesses in order to facilitate the delivery of novel products for its biocatalysis business. The project was awarded the highest grade of “Outstanding” by the KTP Grading Panel for it’s achievement in meeting KTP’s objectives.

The overall partnership aim was to allow technology transfer of fermentation and molecular / microbiology expertise from Queens University to Almac. Almac met the specific partnership objectives by not only sharing a program of work with academics at Queens, but also attending training courses organised through University College London and embedding key learning back into the company.

The resulting success of this collaboration is that Almac can now deliver a fully integrated fermentation, optimisation and bio-product service to its customers. Since completion of the KTP, Almac have successfully scaled fermentation and bio-oxidation reactions to thousands of litres.

Dr Tom Moody, Head of Biocatalysis and Radiolabelling Services, is understandably delighted with the results of this partnership: “To receive the highest grade of Outstanding is a huge achievement for Almac, and testament to the commitment of the team involved. Not only have we further strengthened our long-standing relationship with Queens University, but we have also increased our service offering within the biocatalysis field to our clients, thus allowing us to compete in an area which was previously beyond our reach.”

This achievement follows from an extremely successful year for Almac’s biocatalysis service offering. 2012 saw the launch of its metabolite synthesis services, winning a Belfast Telegraph Award in Excellence in Technology, and announcing an industry-leading biocatalysis collaboration with DSM Pharmaceutical Products.

Notes to Editors

The Almac Group provides a broad range of services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS^® technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The company employs over 3,300 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

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Almac’s Early Christmas Present to Local Cancer Charity

admin — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:17:28 +0000

Craigavon-based company Almac has made a £10,000 donation to the Friends of the Cancer Center Charity to provide support and comfort to cancer patients across Northern Ireland.

The money was raised at the pharmaceutical company’s 2012 charity raffle, when employees were given the chance to buy ballot tickets and win 35 prizes donated by Almac suppliers. Ballot prizes included an Apple Macbook Air Laptop, an Apple iPad and a football signed by the Manchester Utd team. All proceeds were donated to the Friends of the Cancer Center charity.

Friends of the Cancer Center are based at the Cancer Center at the Belfast City Hospital, Northern Ireland’s regional center of excellence for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The ‘Friends’ charity has been tirelessly fundraising for the past three decades to support projects which are outside and in addition to the provisions made by the Health Service, such as medical research, the funding of medical equipment, the provision of comforts to improve the quality of life for patients and their families and even the creation of jobs to help with diagnosis and treatment. ‘Friends’ have to date successfully funded some major projects, responding to needs highlighted by the Cancer Center’s medical staff.

Colleen Shaw, Director of the Friends of the Cancer Center, said: “We are delighted to receive this very generous donation from Almac. The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations and it will make such a difference to the thousands of children, young people and adults with cancer across Northern Ireland that we help each year.”

Receiving the donation on behalf of the charity, Elaine Shaw, Friends of the Cancer Center Breast Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “People often experience feelings of powerlessness when they have cancer. They have to spend time in impersonal surroundings, get their heads around diagnoses that can be difficult to explain, and cope with the emotional and psychological consequences of their illness. The Friends of the Cancer Center supports patients every step of the way by funding research, equipment and complementary therapies to help both patients and their families to cope better in traumatic times. Almac’s outstanding donation will greatly help us in our efforts to support even more patients and families across Northern Ireland.”

Alan Armstrong, CEO of the Almac Group, said: “Our staff are always very enthusiastic when it comes to supporting charities. This year was no exception and Almac’s charity raffle was a very successful event.

Since 2006 and thanks to Elaine Gibson, our Global Travel and Events Manager, who has worked tirelessly over the years to organise the raffle and secure the best fundraising opportunities, we have raised well over £60,000 for a wide range of local charities including the Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke Association and the Southern Area Hospice amongst others. Our sincere thanks go to our many suppliers for the kind generosity in supplying prizes for the draw, and of course to our staff who gave generously and participated in the raffle event. We are delighted that the money raised will go towards caring for cancer patients and their families in the most challenging of times.”

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Recycling works: Almac’s new environment initiative saves £72,000 per year

admin — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:10:30 +0000

Following the launch of research, pharmaceutical development and manufacturing company Almac’s new recycling initiative in May 2012, the amount of recycled waste at Almac dramatically increased from 19% to 70% in just a couple of months, and has since remained at around 70%. Almac’s environmental set up now consistently saves the company £6,000 per month.

Thanks to a dynamic approach to recycling, Almac’s Antrim-based subcontractor McQuillan Envirocare manages all waste on site and new materials have been added to the recycling list, such as aluminium. Unsightly open skips have been replaced by 100 different wheelie bins and mini ‘recycler’ trains travel up and down the yards, keeping them in optimal condition. Beyond making Almac a ‘greener’ place to work in and to live close to, haulage fees and landfill tax have decreased, encouraging further savings.

McQuillan Envirocare’s Technical Manager, Neil McCauley stated: “We work in partnership with Almac to ensure their environmental and sustainability obligations are met through current and innovative waste management techniques. As our largest client, Almac helped to create new jobs by the employment of dedicated McQuillan Envirocare staff and indirectly by securing several jobs already within our organisation. We value this close working relationship and look forward to continued success over the coming years.”

Almac, one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers, is keen to successfully carry out its environmentally-friendly initiative not only in terms of its production waste, but also in terms of office and household waste, leading by example by involving each of their employees in the process. Recycling bins are available in offices and staff are actively encouraged to use them and to change their environmental behaviour at work and hopefully at home.

Wayne McMeekin, Almac Group HSE Manager said: “Back in April 2012, Almac was recycling 19% of its waste. The original target agreed within our new environment initiative was to reach 40% in December. We are delighted that all our hard work has paid off to the point of reaching 70% waste recycling in June 2012 and maintaining a steady performance since, saving Almac £72,000 per year. This is a fantastic result, which benefits not only the company in terms of savings but also Northern Ireland and its residents in terms of enjoying a better quality of life and a solid reputation in terms of caring for their environment.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

The company employs over 3,300 individuals and is headquartered inCraigavon,Northern Ireland.USoperations are based inPennsylvania,North CarolinaandCalifornia.

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US Consul General applauds Almac’s economic contribution to the US pharmaceuticals market

admin — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:18:25 +0000

Gregory S Burton, the new US Consul General in Northern Ireland, visited Almac’s headquarters in Craigavon today for a first hand overview of the Company’s latest investments in the US, specifically the $10m (£6.4m) state- of-the-art commercial packaging facility in Audubon, Pennsylvania.

Almac, a provider of pharmaceutical development services to more than 600 companies in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors across the world, is opening the 100,000 sq ft new facility in Audubon to service its customers across the US.

The new facility has already been awarded contracts for two products that will exceed 1.5m bottles per annum. Tablets and capsules will be manufactured in Almac’s Craigavon facility and shipped to Audubon for commercial packing into bottles for distribution to the US market. State of the art packaging lines will enable Almac to process blisters, bottles, wallets and sterile packaged product for the US market.

Gregory S Burton, who has recently taken up the post at the US Consulate in Belfast, took a tour of the Craigavon site and was briefed on the most recent investments in the US, a market that represents around half of the Company’s total biotech and pharmaceuticals business.

“Almac’s investment in the U.S. underscores Northern Ireland’s capacity to contribute to the global economy in high–value sectors like pharmaceutical development. The company plays an important role in my home State of Pennsylvania and I was grateful for the opportunity of viewing their cutting-edge facility in Craigavon.” commented Gregory S Burton

Further to the Audubon investment Almac is also in the process of doubling the size of its Analytical labs in its new North American Headquarters in Souderton, Pennsylvania, which was opened last year by Senator George Mitchell.

Graeme McBurney, Managing Director of Almac Pharma Services, said: “It gives me immense pride to know Almac is a source of direct foreign investment into the US at a time of restricted economic capital. We are investing in the business significantly across the globe so that we can continue to make an improving economic contribution both within our industry and major markets.”

Notes to Editors

The Almac Group provides a broad range of services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply, and IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The company employs over 3,300 and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

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Almac launches mobile website in response to large mobile user base

admin — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 08:28:53 +0000

Embedded mobile icon means website can be accessed on the move in just one click

Almac is pleased to announce the launch of a mobile optimized version of its website, enabling biotech and pharma clients and prospective customers to access Almac’s content whilst out of the office with only a mobile to hand. The new mobile ready site (designed to work with all mobile operating systems including Android and Apple) contains shortened summaries of all the sections of Almac’s full website broken-down into 6 tabs – ‘Services’, ‘News’, ‘Events’, ‘Locations’, ‘Contact Us’, and ‘Vacancies’.

The new website was created in response to client demands; due to an ever growing number of visitors accessing the main site via mobile devices. The mobile ready site enables users to store an Almac icon on their phone’s screen providing rapid access in just one click, enhanced resolution for all screens sizes, and a search facility enabling visitors to access any content from the full site.

“At Almac we are always looking to help clients with any requirements they have and by launching this new mobile website we are providing even greater accessibility for the significant number of people that view our services and locations through mobile devices. We are one of the first CDMO companies to invest in online technologies to respond to this growing need, providing up to date information on our global portfolio helping to facilitate real time decision making wherever you are” said Philip Diamond, VP Corporate Market Development at Almac.

The new site can be visited on the following address: http://m.almacgroup.com/

Notes to Editors

About Almac:

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Almac Rewarded for Excellence in Technology

admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:27:58 +0000

Almac has been recognised for its cutting edge technological developments, scooping a top award at the recent Belfast Telegraph Northern Ireland Business Awards 2012, in association with British Midland International (bmi).

The Craigavon-based pharmaceutical development company collected the Excellence in Technology award at a ceremony held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast to reward the best of Northern Ireland’s business community across 12 categories.

Almac has developed new technology which sets it apart in a difficult chemical market which is under threat from Asia. Almac’s Sciences Business Unit has set up a dedicated group for discovering and implementing effective processes for biocatalysis – enzymes which effect desired chemical transformations.

The biocatalysis group has doubled since it was established in 2009 to become an integral part of the company. Almac’s growth in this area has been further enhanced by a £2.5m research and development investment, supported by INI, and the subsequent launch of a biocatalyst technology platform, SelectAZyme™ brand.

Almac is currently collaborating with institutions including Queen’s University Belfast and University College London in a bid to ultimately discover new catalysts with unique properties while providing industrial training opportunities for students and graduates.

The Almac team collected the award from Scott Kennedy, a director and head of the Intellectual Property and Technology team at category sponsor Cleaver Fulton Rankin Solicitors.

Stephen Barr, Managing Director of the Almac’s Sciences Business Unit, said: “Winning this award is recognition that we are at the forefront of technological advances in our field.

“Our unique technology is used in a range of applications from medicinal chemistry to the manufacture of specialist chemicals. It has enabled Almac to enter into complementary industries including flavour and fragrances and biofuel arenas.

“It has a positive environmental impact as it promotes the use of green, renewable clean catalysis and helps lower costs, reduce waste and increase productivity.”

Alastair Hamilton, chief executive of Invest NI, and a member of the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards judging panel said: “Companies which adopt and embrace technology as an integral part of their business model tend to be those which drive growth and success. Each of the shortlisted companies in this category has demonstrated excellence in technology in their own way. However, for its use of new technology to fuel its growth and become a world leader in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, the panel concluded that Almac is this year’s worthy winner.”

Brenda Morgan, Sales Manager Ireland at title sponsor bmi, added: “Within the annual business calendar there is no other event to equal the impact of the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards. The event provides the business community with the opportunity to share and celebrate the importance and impact of business excellence.

“This year’s awards ceremony highlighted that Northern Ireland is in business, not just business as usual, but business that is competitive and competing on a world stage. The 2012 winners reflect the range and diversity of outstanding business success both at home and abroad. There is a very clear message – the Northern Ireland business community are alive and well and are succeeding in one of the most difficult economic climates for many years.”

Notes to Editors

About Almac

The Almac Group provides a broad range of services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS^® technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The company employs over 3,300 and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

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Almac and SRC to boost training for science careers

admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:18:19 +0000

Training for science careers in Northern Ireland is set to receive a boost thanks to a partnership between Almac and Southern Regional College announced today.

The Craigavon-based pharmaceutical development company has said it will create eight scientific apprenticeships for SRC students, starting in September this year.

The announcement was made at the opening of a new state-of-the-art science laboratory at the Portadown campus of the College and will see Almac providing two year apprenticeships to16 to 24 year olds studying NVQ laboratory technician courses to Level 3.

Stephen Barr, Managing Director of Almac Sciences, who officially opened the new science laboratory, said: “Almac is committed to the development of effective partnerships withNorthern Ireland’s schools, colleges and universities and working with SRC on this initiative to train local young people for science careers is a great example of this.

“For eight young people September will mark the start of an exciting two years which will see them gain extremely valuable experience both from SRC staff in these wonderful new labs in Portadown and on the job training with our scientists at Almac.

“We believe initiatives like this are vital to ensure our workforce has the right skills for the future as we continue to expand our services to companies across the world in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.”

Science has not been studied at the Portadown Campus of SRC for over a decade and the new lab will also see the introduction of science courses ranging from adult returner programmes to degree level courses in applied science.

Brian Doran, Director of Southern Regional College, commented: “Our curriculum in the next five years will be aligned to industrial requirements in the greater Craigavon area.

“We are delighted to be working with Almac, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world, in delivering NVQ laboratory technician courses to Level 3 as part of the apprenticeship framework.

“This marks a significant milestone for the future delivery of science programmes in the greater Craigavon area and we look forward to taking forward our plans for the future development of science in our Portadown Campus.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about how to apply for the apprenticeships should go to www.src.ac.uk

Notes to Editors

About Almac Group

The company employs over 3,300 and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.USoperations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

About SRC

Southern Regional Collegeis the largest further and higher Education College outside ofBelfastinNorthern Ireland. With a total of six campuses across the counties ofArmaghand Down and covering four district councils, the College offers first class education and an exciting learning environment for further and higher education.

At further education level, the College offers courses from BTEC Level 1 Diplomas, through NVQs, National Diplomas and A levels. Many of these are aimed at the full time market although many of these courses are available on a part time basis also. The College also offers Apprenticeship Training programmes where students can learn valuable trades to take into the workplace.

The College takes enrolments of approximately 35,000 students each year and employs over 1,100 staff.

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Almac strengthens Board with appointment of new Financial Director

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:15:11 +0000

The Almac Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Kevin Stephens to the executive position of Finance Director, Almac Group, with effect from 1 January 2012.

Kevin will take responsibility for all financial aspects of Almac Group activities globally, leading the financial management teams for all global operations, supporting the planned growth of the business and co-ordinating financial control and reporting throughout the Group.

After graduating from Queen’s University, Belfast, with a degree in Economics, Kevin qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young and then worked for 14 years with Kemira NI as Financial Controller.

Kevin joined the Group in 2001 and following a number of varied financial roles within the organisation. , was appointed to the position of Almac UK Group Financial Controller in January 2007. He was promoted to the role of VP Finance, Almac Group, in July 2009, and subsequently in October 2010 was appointed to the Almac Executive team as Executive VP Finance, Almac Group.

Alan Armstrong, CEO of the Almac Group commented: “We are delighted to appoint Kevin to this important financial position on our Board. Not only does he possess strong financial qualifications and training, he also has very specific knowledge and experience of the workings of the Almac Group having held a string of financial positions within the organisation. Indeed, we anticipate that Kevin will play a key strategic role in the continued growth and successful financial management of our Group of companies.”

For media enquiries, please contact Tristan Jervis or Alex Heeley on +44 (0) 207 861 3938 or e-mail: t.jervis@defacto.com.

Notes to Editors

The company employs over 3,300 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Almac has now moved into its new North American Headquarters located in Souderton PA.

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Almac extends helping hand to local charities

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:31:02 +0000

Craigavon-based company Almac has made donations totalling £12,500 to charities which help local people who are terminally ill.

The money was raised at the pharmaceutical development company’s annual ‘Event in the Tent’, which sees a giant marquee erected at its headquarters to hold a social event recognising staff’s achievements and successes.

This year it was attended by a record 1,300 staff who bought ballot tickets to win prizes, with all proceeds going to the local charities.

This year’s beneficiaries were Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Northern Ireland Hospice.

The Marie Curie Nursing Service makes it possible for people with terminal illnesses who want to be cared for at home at the end of their lives to have that choice.

Northern Ireland Hospice provides respite and end-of-life care for children, young people and adults with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions such as cancer, heart disease, muscular dystrophy and neurological conditions.

Ciara Gallagher, fundraising manager, Marie Curie, said: “We spend the money we raise locally on providing end of life care for patients with cancer and other terminal illnesses in the community and at the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast.

“Throughout Northern Ireland Marie Curie nurses work in the community providing care, totally free for patients in their own homes and last year cared for 1,613 patients. For every £20 we raise the charity can provide one hour of nursing care.

“The money raised by Almac will fund over 300 hours of nursing care in the Southern Area which covers Craigavon, Portadown, Lurgan and Dungannon.”

Receiving the cheque on behalf of Northern Ireland Hospice, Evelyn Uprichard, Hospice Nurse Specialist, said: “We are delighted to receive this very generous donation from Almac. It will make such a difference to the 3,000 local children, young people and adults with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition that we help each year.

“Every year Northern Ireland Hospice has to raise over £5.5 million through voluntary donations to provide our specialist nursing care in the home and in hospice, and we could not do this without the continued support of local businesses like Almac.”

Alan Armstrong, CEO of the Almac Group, said: “Our annual ‘Event in the Tent’ which has been running for seven years always has a strong charity angle which is well-supported by our staff.

“Since 2006 we have raised well over £50,000 for a wide range of local charities including the Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke Association, NI Cancer Fund for Children, Belfast City Hospital, Southern Area Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Fund. Our sincere thanks go to our many suppliers for the kind generosity in once again supplying the prizes for the draw.

“The event is our way of recognising the efforts of our team and we are so pleased that the money raised will go towards caring for people who are terminally ill.”

Notes to Editors

About Almac

For more information about Almac contact Jane Wells or Andrea Clements at JPR on 028 9076 0066.

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Almac Shines At Awards Ceremonies

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:31:56 +0000

Almac’s Clinical Services business unit is celebrating having picked up three top accolades in the recent NI Chamber of Commerce Awards and The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Ireland, Marketing Excellence Awards. These latest achievements mark the end of a highly successful year for the NI Company who also won the Business of the Year at the BMI / Belfast Telegraph Awards earlier in the year. Almac was recognised for its continued excellence in the field of contract drug development and manufacturing within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, in which the company is globally renowned as a world class services provider. This year, Almac has again gone from strength-to-strength growing significantly despite the challenging economic environment. The Company is now successfully delivering critical patient medication to over 100 countries globally.

NI Chamber of Commerce Awards

In the recent NI Chamber of Commerce Awards, Almac Clinical Services picked up two prizes – Business of the Year and the Award for Innovation through Technology for an award submission based on their Shipping Temperature Electronic Monitoring System – STEMS. This was designed to improve the efficiency of the monitoring process of temperature sensitive clinical trial supplies during the distribution process. The awards are sponsored by high profile companies including RBS and NatWest, BT Business, BT Directories, Dell, the British Standards Institution (BSI), AXA PPP healthcare and Westfield Health who were involved in selecting the winners.

CIM Ireland Marketing Excellence Awards 2011

At a distinguished awards ceremony held at the City Hall, Belfast– Almac’s Clinical Services business unit received an award for Marketing Excellence within the Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals sector in the centenary year of The Chartered Institute of Marketing Ireland, Marketing Excellence Awards 2011. The event which attracted more than 400 guests celebrated the remarkable achievements of the marketing profession across the island of Ireland.

Commenting on these recent achievements, Martin Lamb, Vice President of Business Development, Almac Clinical Services ‘We are delighted to have won these awards which recognise again the contribution Almac has made to the local NI Business Community in creating employment and supporting the local economy. Almac is one of Northern Ireland’s major success stories and we are honoured to receive these awards which reflect the hard work of all our employees across all disciplines & sites – fundamental to our success.”

The Almac Clinical Services Team pictured at the CIM Ireland Marketing Excellence Awards where they picked up the Award for Marketing Excellence within the Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals sector.

Left – Right – Peter Sanford, Nicholas Griffin, Winnie McKeag, Laura Clarke, Maire Mullin, Jonathan Calderwood, Aileen Murphy, Paul Costelloe (Guest Speaker), Carolyn Timpany & Barry Cathcart

Jonathan Calderwood, Global Marketing Manager receives the NI Chamber of Commerce Awards for Business of the Year and the Award for ‘Innovation through Technology’

Notes to Editors About Almac Group

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Co Tyrone woman is Almac’s 2,000th UK employee

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:28:22 +0000

Almac has welcomed its 2,000^th UK employee after doubling its workforce in the last six years.

Ciara Cassidy, from Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, has just taken up a position at the Craigavon-based pharmaceutical development company as an Application Support Developer.

Her job will involve constant updating of Almac’s IT systems to help it provide services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

Almac joins just a handful of local independent private companies to pass the landmark of employing more than 2,000. It also employs around 1,200 people in America, over 900 of them at its $120m North American headquarters in Souderton, Philadelphia which was officially opened in May by formerUS Senator George Mitchell. The company also employs approximately 30 people in Edinburgh and Manchester.

Although many of its employees are leading scientists, the company’s rapid expansion has also created a wide range of opportunities in non-scientific jobs.

Over the last six years Almac has experienced double digit growth year on year and last year the company created 183 new jobs. It is expected that the rate of recruitment will continue across all areas of its work in Craigavon and at its US headquarters.

Stewart Watt, Almac’s Group HR Manager UK, said: “We are extremely fortunate to be enjoying global growth at a time of economic downturn and as a result we are able to offer employment in a wide variety of high value jobs.

“Our employees work in almost 600 different roles and we are constantly searching for talented staff to ensure our business success continues on both sides of the Atlantic.

“We have extremely low rates of staff turnover so the opportunities being provided are brand new jobs. At any one time our recruitment staff are working on filling up to 120 vacancies.

“There is a perception among some people that you need a scientific background to join Almac but for many of our jobs this is not the case. We currently have opportunities in information services, production manufacturing, engineering, quality and project management as well as HR and legal positions.”

Almac, which was founded by the late Sir Allen McClay in 2002, has more than doubled both its staff numbers and turnover since 2005.

Among its products and services are genomics, chemical development, manufacture, packaging, labelling, management and global distribution of clinical medication packs and commercial products. .

Notes to Editors

About Almac

The company employs over 3,300 individuals and is headquartered inCraigavon,Northern Ireland. US operations are based inPennsylvania,North CarolinaandCalifornia. Almac has now moved into its new North American Headquarters located in Souderton PA.

For more information about Almac contact Jane Wells or Andrea Clements at JPR on 028 9076 0066.

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Almac flies the flag for European Day of Languages

admin — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:32:16 +0000

Craigavon-based pharmaceutical development company Almac is celebrating the cultural and linguistic diversity of its employees today, European Day of Languages, (Monday September 26).

No fewer than 17 European languages including Finnish, Czech and Greek are spoken by staff in the company’s workforce of almost 2,000 in Northern Ireland and at the last count staff spoke a total of 31 world languages ranging from Japanese to Gujarati and Marathi. Many other languages are used by its employees on its sites in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, California and Edinburgh.

On a visit to Almac’s Craigavon site to mark European Day of Languages, MEP Jim Nicholson, said: “As a global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry Almac is attracting top talent from across the world as well as employing many of Northern Ireland’s leading scientists and businesspeople.

“Employing such a diverse range of local and international staff including those from a wide range of EU countries is paying dividends for Almac as it grows year on year, supporting and encouraging research and innovation in the field of healthcare.

“Although it is a world renowned company Almac has always retained a strong focus on contributing positively to the economy of Craigavon and Northern Ireland as a whole, providing high quality jobs for so many.”

Almac’s Chief Executive Alan Armstrong said: “People come from all over the world to work at Almac’s Craigavon site in a wide range of jobs. Whilst the vast majority of our employees are still from the local community, we are thrilled to have people of 31 nationalities among our workforce in Northern Ireland.

“Having such a culturally and linguistically diverse workforce is a great strength for Almac’s global business.

“While we live in a world that is instantly connected at the touch of the keyboard the ability to respect and appreciate different cultures and languages is vital to business success.”

Today marks the 10^th anniversary of European Day of Languages. The event has been growing every year since 2001 following a decision by the Council of Europe to declare the day to be celebrated on September 26.

The idea behind the event is to raise public awareness of all the languages spoken in Europe and the importance of language learning in spreading tolerance and mutual understanding. The European Day of Languages celebrates linguistic diversity as one of Europe’s strengths, and encourages lifelong language learning.

Notes to Editors

The Almac Group provides a broad range of pharmaceutical services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS^® technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The company employs over 3,000 and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. Its North American Headquarters are in Souderton, Pennsylvania and the company also has sites at North Carolina and California.

For more information about Almac contact Jane Wells or Andrea Clements at JPR on 028 9076 0066. Jane.wells@jprni.com, 07860 288 860

Andrea.clements@jprni.com, 07808

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Almac takes a clinical approach – Almac CEO Alan Armstrong talks about the firm’s continuing expansion

admin — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:00:48 +0000

Ulster Business: – Northern Ireland’s Top 100 Companies by Symon Ross

Almac is regularly, and rightly, lauded as one of Northern Ireland’s business success stories.

It is the perfect example of the type of innovation-led export company which political and business leaders know the province will need more of if we are to reduce reliance on the public sector and create a knowledge economy.

The company provides a range of services extending from research through pharmaceutical and clinical development to commercialisation of products for more than 600 global clients.

Its history dates back to 1968 when the late Sir Allen McClay founded his original company Galen Ltd, which marketed and sold ethical pharmaceutical products in the UK and Ireland.

Through the years the company formed specialist divisions for Pharmaceutical Development & Manufacturing Services, Clinical Trial Services, Chemical Synthesis Services and Interactive Clinical Technologies Incorporated and a separate company Almac Diagnostic Services.

During 1997 Galen undertook an IPO to become Galen Holdings Plc. with listings on the London and Irish markets. Sir Allen McClay then made a strategic decision to retire from Galen Holdings Plc in 2001 and personally invest approximately £240m to purchase the four service-based businesses from Galen and incorporated Almac Diagnostic Services in order to keep the company in Northern Ireland.

PwC last year provided a measure of just how important the company has become to the Craigavon area, calculating that over 20 years Almac will generate sales revenue of £5.3bn for the Northern Ireland economy. Based on its current total of 2,000 employees that figure would now rise to £6.1bn.

And yet, despite continued growth in revenues and profits, there is an understated feel about the company, stemming perhaps from the character of its late founder Sir Allen McClay, who was not one for airs and graces.

Though he passed away in January 2010, there’s still a strong sense of Sir Allen McClay’s presence around the company. At reception in Craigavon a video charting the company’s history shows footage of him receiving his knighthood. And, several times during our interview Chief Executive Alan Armstrong nods towards an empty desk in the office behind him when he refers to ‘the auld fella’.

“He had a lot of ideas and philosophies that were woven into the organisation and which remain there. We’ll do our best at senior management level to keep them there,” says Armstrong, who first joined the company 33 years ago.

Many of Almac’s directors and senior management team have been with the company since they were graduates. That has added a stability and loyalty that few other companies of its size are able to claim, and means that McClay’s vision to see Craigavon remain the firm’s headquarters and engine room has not been altered.

“There’s a sense of loyalty and a sense of belonging. Allen McClay used to talk about the Almac family and there is something to that,” agrees Armstrong.

He puts the company’s continued growth through the recession down to the hard work and professionalism of its employees, as well as having the right products for them to present to clients in the right way. Almac employs a broad range of local graduates, and recruits more specialist roles from around the world.

It also counts all of the world’s major pharmaceutical firms and hundreds of biotech companies as clients.

But it is not resting on its laurels. Armstrong says R&D and innovation are the only way it can keep its competitive edge and this requires constant investment.

“The beauty of this organisation is that any surplus cash that’s generated, there’s no venture capital organisation or shareholders to look after. It’s all ploughed back into the business.

It is used to build buildings and buy equipment, all sorts of development work to make the business more sustainable and more profitable,” he said.

EXPANSION

Earlier this year Almac officially opened its North American headquarters in Souderton, Pennsylvania – a state-of-the-art facility that represented an investment of $120m and which houses more than 800 employees.

The decision to open a new facility came after Almac outgrew its facilities in Audubon and Yeardley. Rather than extending either of those it took the plunge to invest in a new 240,000 sq ft building on the basis that the business was expected to keep growing. With low greenhouse gas emissions and a water reclamation programme, the management feel the building reflects the cutting edge reputation of the company.

“It is a terrific facility, world class, well designed, well built and we’re proud of it. It came in on time and on budget,” says Armstrong.

“We tried to make it as similar to Craigavon as we could, to get the same look and feel as we have here just so there is some continuity for staff and customers,” he adds.

“Everyone knows the North American market is a huge market. You need to be seen to be a real player. We sent a message to our customers and our competitors that we are here and we are here to stay. It is a meaningful landmark.”

Almac’s divisions distribute products and services around the world, and the company’s goal is to add around 15 new customers every year.

It estimates that well over 90 per cent of its business is repeat business – showing, the CEO says, that if you are reliable and have the trust of your clients you don’t always have to be the cheapest in the market.

“That’s a big indicator of how well we are doing. Because if you’re doing a bad job customers won’t come back,” says Armstrong. Keen perhaps not to blow Almac’s own trumpet too much, he adds quickly: “We’re doing okay. You’re better not to get too big headed, but we’re doing alright.”

Armstrong believes the firm would do even better should the long discussed powers to lower corporation tax be devolved to Northern Ireland.

Sir Allen McClay was quoted as saying that a lower corporation tax rate in Northern Ireland would help him double the size of his business within 10 years. The company’s CEO is still happy to have that statement quoted.

“Lower corporation tax means we have more cash to invest back into the business and that is where it will go. There’s a knock on effect in that, if we’re employing more people, we require more packaging material, more buildings, more facilities and that all creates wealth in the economy,” he explains.

“If there’s not a sea change of some sort, the future is not terribly bright for Northern Ireland.”

THE FUTURE

While future growth for Almac seems assured, the CEO won’t be drawn into making predictions. He sees further potential in the services areas as more companies in the sector choose to outsource their drug development work to make it happen more quickly and cheaply.

“We don’t set goals that say if we’ve got there, we’ve succeeded. New things tend to come along all the time and we have to be versatile so we can adjust to the opportunity and go for it. That happens regularly, where a new area needs formulation and development, and so we need to keep fairly flexible so we can move to wherever’s required in terms of innovation, capacity and spending cash,” he said.

There are no immediate plans to enter into the process of developing drugs from initial compound to market, a process that can cost in the region of $2bn and, even for Almac, is a bridge too far at this stage.

However, Armstrong revealed that the company has “lots of irons in the fire” in the diagnostic space and that it has also been looking at opening an office in Asia.

“If we did it would be to supplement Northern Ireland and even bring more work here because we’re a bigger outlet for it. It would be to supplement it rather than take away from it,” he adds.

The ideal way ahead is, he says, one of steady and manageable growth.

“If you grow at too quick a pace maybe aspects of your business such as quality begins to slip. We want to grow but take everyone along with us. We’re not a public company so there’s no big profit or revenue figure we have to meet in order to keep the City happy. We keep ourselves happy.”

Perhaps therein lies Almac’s secret.

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Almac-Queen’s cancer expert to lead £4.4m collaboration

admin — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:41:11 +0000

An investment of £4.4m in a unique academic-business collaboration between pharmaceutical development company Almac and Queen’s University will help develop better tests for diagnosing and treating prostate, ovarian and breast cancer.

The research initiative, based at the Center for Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB) at Queen’s, will be led by Professor Richard Kennedy, one of Almac’s experts in personalised medicine – which tailors specific treatment to each cancer patient.

Invest Northern Ireland and The McClay Foundation, the charitable trust established by the late Sir Allen McClay, are partnering to fund the lab facilities and staff costs. Invest NI has offered the Almac Group and QUB £1.5 million of support towards the collaboration, which includes part funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The collaboration was announced ahead of CCRCB’s 3rd International Cancer Symposium tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday 7-8 September), which attracts leading cancer experts from around the world to focus on how academia can interact with industry to improve cancer treatment.

Professor Kennedy, the newly appointed McClay Chair of Experimental Cancer Medicine at Queen’s University – a joint appointment with Almac – said the project was an excellent example of how business and academia could work together in the fight against cancer, the leading cause of death in Western civilizations.

He explained: “The research will involve using cutting-edge technology developed by Almac which will allow us to analyse large numbers of patient tumours collected by Queen’s.

“We will develop these tests to help clinicians to better understand prostate, ovarian and breast cancer and prescribe the appropriate treatments tailored to the specific patient.

“We hope this will then improve the chances of cure using chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

“Queen’s and Almac will also use this information to design new therapies that could improve the chances of response and cure for these cancers in the future.

“More effective treatments will be good news for patients and also for reducing the pressure on the overburdened healthcare system.”

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: “Almac remains at the cutting edge of drug development and delivery for specific types of cancer and with Invest NI support, has invested heavily in research projects which have delivered significant economic benefits and advancements in cancer treatment worldwide.

“The company is globally respected for its commitment to innovation and this collaboration project will build upon a successful and longstanding research relationship between Almac and Queen’s University, Belfast. Such academic and industrial linkages are vital to the growth of our economy as they strengthen our knowledge base and enhance Northern Ireland’s reputation as an international research and development hub.”

At this week’s symposium Professor Kennedy will present new research on better tailoring chemotherapy for breast cancer. He will also introduce the speaker of the 2011 McClay Foundation Lecture, Richard M Goldberg from the University of North Carolina and North Carolina Cancer Hospital.

Notes to Editors

The Almac Group provides a broad range of pharmaceutical services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS® technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The McClay Foundation, established by Almac founder, the late Sir Allen McClay in 2008, is a charitable trust which aims to advance the use of diagnostic tools and drugs in the prevention, control and cure of the disease; support and encourage research and innovation in the field of healthcare and allied technologies increase capacity of all people and specifically those in the developing world to access the latest benefits in healthcare and to generate and promote employment opportunities for the people of Northern Ireland.

Invest NI has offered the Almac Group and QUB £1.5 million of support which includes part funding from the European Regional Development Fund under the Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.

For more information about Almac contact Jane Wells or Andrea Clements at JPR on 028 9076 0066. Jane.wells@jprni.com, 07860 288 860

Andrea.clements@jprni.com, 07808 761 857

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Almac celebrate official opening of North American HQ with former US. Senator George Mitchell

admin — Fri, 20 May 2011 14:40:47 +0000

One of Northern Ireland’s most successful companies the Almac Group, is celebrating the official opening of its new North American Headquarters.

With global headquarters in Craigavon, Almac employs more than 3,000 people and provides services to more than 600 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide.

The official opening was performed by former U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell, who most recently served as Special Envoy to the Middle East and was Chairman of the all party negotiations which led to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.

Welcoming Senator Mitchell to the ceremony were Almac Chief Executive Alan Armstrong and Lady Heather McClay, wife of Almac’s founder, the late Sir Allen McClay. Almac CEO Alan Armstrong said “We are delighted to officially open our new North American Headquarters. The $120m investment is one of the largest ever made by a Northern Ireland owned firm in the United States and represents the continued expansion of the business on both sides of the Atlantic.

“With our rate of growth it is essential we build capacity in both our Northern Ireland & US operations to ensure the business continues to compete at a global level. It is a testament to the ambition of our founding Chairman Sir Allen McClay, who originally envisaged this project, and we are proud to have brought it to fruition.”

A centerpiece of the opening was the dedication of a major art installation of fused glass that tells the story of Almac and its growth over the years. The glass designs are interwoven with scientific references, symbols associated with Northern Ireland as well as those contained within the Pennsylvania State Crest. The work was designed and produced entirely in Northern Ireland, by David Esler in Leadlines, based in Co Antrim, before being carefully shipped across the Atlantic.

Lady Heather McClay said, “The installation is a wonderful tribute to Allen’s achievements and of those he called the ‘Almac family’. We are honoured to be joined by Senator Mitchell as someone who has played a key role in moving Northern Ireland into a new era. He is deservedly recognised in Northern Ireland for his role as Special Envoy and Chairman of the All-Party talks but his work as Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast makes his presence here today particularly fitting as that institution was very close to Allen’s heart.”

Speaking at the opening Sen. George Mitchell paid tribute to the vision of Sir Allen McClay.

“Sir Allen had a real vision for this company and the building we are dedicating today will be a fitting monument to his life and work. This facility will be important not only to the economy of Pennsylvania but to the health of people all over the world.”

Almac’s $120 million, 240,000 square foot new North American headquarters houses more than 800 employees in state-of-the-art facilities. With low greenhouse gas emissions and a water reclamation program, the facility strives to maintain sustainability and has already added 300 new jobs to the greater Philadelphia region.

The event was also attended by dignitaries and representatives from State & local government level in Pennsylvania, a wide range of global pharmaceutical companies, as well as local families from the area and those who cared for Sir Allen in his period of illness in Hahnemann Hospital.

-Ends-

Contact:

John Hart

Stakeholder Communications

02890 339949 / 0779 147 0512

About Almac

The Almac Group offers a broad range of services, from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The company employs more than 3,000 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. For more information on Almac, please visit almacgroup.com.

To find out more about Almac visit almacgroup.com

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Almac wins 2011 Northern Ireland Business of the year accolade

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:40:36 +0000

Award recognises Almac’s continued growth success and presence as a world class player in pharmaceutical and biotech services

The Almac Group, headquartered in Craigavon Northern Ireland, is celebrating another highly impressive year after being named ‘Business of the Year’ (for the second time in 3 years), together with other significant accolades at the Northern Ireland business awards – run by the nation’s main daily newspaper, The Belfast Telegraph in association with BMI (British Midland International).

Almac was recognised for its continued excellence in the field of contract drug development and manufacturing within the biotechnology and pharmaceutcal sectors, in which the company is globally renowned as a world class services provider. This year, Almac has again gone from strength-to-strength growing significantly despite the challenging economic environment. . The Company is now successfully delivering critical patient medication to over 100 countries, with 89% its £250million global sales coming from outside the UK – representing a 10% increase in annual revenues compared with the previous year.

Almac picked up the overall ‘Business of the Year’ accolade, in addition its Clinical Services’ business unit winning ‘outstanding business team of the year’ for its business development and marketing activities. The team was recognised for its role in positioning Almac as a single, truly integrated services company by establishing cross selling opportunities, joint bids and integrated management approaches across the entire group. Additionally, the company was commended for providing innovative solutions that respond to growing customer need for pharmaceutical products to be maintained under refrigerated temperatures during distribution and for the successful export and manufacture of clinical supplies, clinical supply management , packaging and labelling of patient kits and warehousing, logistics and depot management.

Almac Group CEO Alan Armstrong expressed his pride in the recognition and said that he expected 2011 to be an exciting year for the company.

“Winning the 2011 “outstanding business team of the year’ was a great accomplishment for Almac at Northern Ireland’s main business awards, but to be recognised as the Country’s pre-eminent business for the second time in 3 years shows our success in achieving sustained economic growth in a competitive and challenging global economic environment.“

“Our strong expansion is testament to our focus on innovation, quality and dedication of the entire team across the Almac Group. Indeed, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our staff for their contribution to this fantastic achievement – they are the heart of our business.”

Judge Ian Murphy from Invest NI said the panel’s decision to recognise Almac was made “for transforming a Northern Ireland company to a company of global stature in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors”

About Almac Group

The company employs over 3,000 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Almac has now moved into its new North American Headquarters located in Souderton PA.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

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Northgate Managed Services Delivers Seamless Transfer to Almac’s New US HQ

admin — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:58:56 +0000

More than 15,000 records updated securely each day during a major migration programme thanks to Northgate’s expertise.

Newtownabbey based IT specialist, Northgate Managed Services has cemented its eight year partnership with global pharmaceutical company, The Almac Group after successfully migrating its global online resources to Almac’s new US headquarters in Souderton, Pennsylvania.

The new headquarters houses clinical trial supply and technology services as well as introducing Almac’s analytical services to the U.S. for the first time.

Using a specialist web application, up to 15,000 records are securely created and updated each day from Almac’s clients, worldwide. Northgate’s role was to manage the transition of key web services from its old data center locations to its new operation, whilst ensuring that clients experienced no downtime during the migration process.

A specialist team from Northgate was responsible for the highly time sensitive project which demanded meticulous planning together with implementation of the latest Citrix NetScaler web security technology. Now fully integrated, the new solution also allows Almac to meet the growing demands for its services from pharmaceutical and biotech companies world-wide.

Commenting on the success of the project Andrew Hillis, Group Head of Information Services for the Almac Group said, “The decision to move key operations to our new Souderton site was based on business growth and development, but the transition process had to be flawless, with absolutely no break in service. Having worked with Northgate for eight years, the company’s experience, expertise and understanding of our business proved vital. The end result was the successful transfer and centralisation of resources, with an enhanced and highly effective infrastructure which is positioned to allow for future growth.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services said, “Almac’s feedback on the project is a strong endorsement of Northgate’s expertise and project management skills. Our client understanding and business insight proved key and ensured Almac delivered its three core commitments of innovation, quality and customer service. We look forward to developing and strengthening our partnership in the future.”

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Distribution Heats Up as Almac Continues its Transition to New North American Headquarters

admin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:47:47 +0000

Almac is making substantial progress in transitioning operations to its new headquarters in Souderton, PA, especially in the area of distribution. The new facility has been successfully shipping clinical trial materials since November, and has recently seen an increase in shipment volumes due to the added efficiencies the new building provides.

Material packing for trial supply shipments is now performed in Almac’s state-of-the art Pharmacy. Providing nearly 8,000 square feet of space and situated adjacent to the distribution warehouse, the Pharmacy is designed to facilitate the picking of clinical distribution orders. Technicians are able to work more efficiently using industry leading RF scanning devices, ultimately reducing processing times. Orders are verified and then packed in custom designed individual Packing Suites. A more streamlined workflow was the key component when original layout designs were being considered, and has proven to be a positive addition to the headquarters project.

Scott McCurdy, Distribution Supervisor, commented on the operations in the new facility by saying

“The Almac Distribution Department successfully ceased operations in Audubon, transferred client material and relocated staff over the course of one weekend without affecting shipping timelines. Our new facility affords Almac Distribution the opportunity to expand and provide new solutions for the global clinical trial supply chain.”

Already cleared as a TSA Certified Cargo Screening Facility, the next step for the company is to relocate their label generation, controlled substance packaging, and primary packaging operations. Almac anticipates the phased transfer, which began in November, to be complete by February 2011 sequentially making both buildings in the headquarters project fully operational. A copy of the proposed dates of transfer can be viewed by visiting the NAHQ specific microsite.

The new headquarters houses clinical trial supply and technology services as well as introducing Almac’s analytical services to the U.S. for the first time. This combination of services optimizes the clinical supply chain by providing clients with the ability to approve multiple activities at one site, in one visit. In addition, the new building offers a huge expansion in capacity for the storage of trial materials, especially refrigerated storage, where pallet space has increased by 5 times to accommodate a growing demand amongst pharma and biotech companies.

Clients are invited to take a tour of the facility or request a meeting to further discover how the new features will benefit them and their organization. For more information on the recent happenings at Almac’s new NAHQ, please visit www.findpharmony.com

Almac has taken care to keep clients fully informed regarding transition times using direct mailings, email, and information updates on the NAHQ specific website as well as personally meeting with clients to discuss upcoming plans.

About Almac Group:

The Almac Group offers a broad range of services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The company is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

The post Distribution Heats Up as Almac Continues its Transition to New North American Headquarters appeared first on Almac.

Almac wins News Flow of the Year Category at the Genesis 2010 Awards

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:08:34 +0000

The Almac Group, one of the world’s leading contract drug development and manufacturing organisations, was presented with the

“News Flow of the Year”

accolade at the 2010 Genesis Awards annual Gala dinner in London last week, following the company being shortlisted as a finalist in the category nominations. Now into its tenth year, Genesis is established as a leading life science networking conference.

Recognised by the Genesis Awards panel as an

“ambassador for the UK life sciences sector”,

Almac’s 2010 news flow has increased exponentially compared to previous years. Messaging and announcements have been tailored to developments within the Group’s areas of expertise, which extend from research, through development to commercialisation. Over 35 new stories have already been released this year with well over 400 items of coverage secured in target trade media world-wide.

The award comes hot on the heels of a string of accolades won by Almac this year, including winning the excellence in ‘Innovation’ category at Northern Ireland’s tenth annual Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in recognition of the Group’s discovery and validation of new pioneering biomarkers in the field of personalised medicine. Moreover, Almac was rated Great Place to Work®, complete with a top five company ‘excellence in disability’ rating, by the Great Place to Work® Institute UK’.

De Facto Communications, the leading life science and healthcare communications agency, implemented a news flow communications strategy for the organisation that focused on aligning Almac’s internal proposition with external perceptions across the wider market and industry. Furthermore, the Group’s US expansion has been extensively covered in announcements and secured media exposure. This approach has enabled Almac to showcase its wider integrated offerings to a more diverse range of audiences, highlighting the Company’s size, history and corporate strengths.

Tristan Jervis. Associate Director at De Facto Communications commented: “To achieve these communications goals, a series of messaging meetings were arranged within the Group at the start of 2010. Targeted media lists and multiple expertise marketing communications plans were created, together with a Group-wide communications plan, specifically designed to capture central corporate messages. This innovative approach has enabled the company to produce a constant stream of highly targeted coverage, whilst enabling Almac to more closely mirror its internal structure externally.”

Philip Diamond, Vice President of Corporate Market Development at the Almac Group commented:

“We are very pleased to have won this prestigious accolade and for the recognition that it affords. Indeed, we have significantly increased the volume of news flow released to the media this year and thanks to the quality of these announcements, we have significantly expanded our profile in the life science and pharmaceuticals sectors whilst enhancing target audience awareness of our integrated service offering and the expansion of our US operations”.

Alan Armstrong, CEO of the Almac Group commented:

“In addition to an extensive and regular flow of business related press releases, we have also focused announcements on CSR programmes, especially our regional support initiatives. Highlights have included a focus on Almac’s history, roots and committed support for the local Northern Ireland economy; exemplified by our late founder, Sir Allen McClay, being honoured with Craigavon’s “Young Business Person of the Year” Award named after him, together with the opening of the new Queen’s University library that he privately funded.”

Contact:

Tristan Jervis

Account Director

De Facto Communications

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7QD

T: +44 (0)207 861 3838

E: t.jervis@defacto.com

About Almac Group

The company employs almost 3,000 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Almac has officially gained full possession of its new $120m North American Headquarters which started in July 2008 and employees are relocating during the fall.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

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Almac ‘Event in the Tent’ raises £14,500 for Charities

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:49:37 +0000

Almac staff have provided a welcome boost for two charities with generous donations of £7,250 each.

The money was raised at the Almac Group’s annual ‘Event in the Tent’, which took place recently at the company’s headquarters in Craigavon. The beneficiaries were Macmillan Cancer and the NI Children’s Hospice who were delighted with the donations.

All parts of the organisation were well represented with over 1300 staff and management enjoying the traditional celebration with a three-course meal followed by entertainment.

The money was raised through a raffle with a range of great prizes including 2 return tickets to New York courtesy of Continental Airlines, a £1000.00 Holiday Gift Voucher donated by Elpro and 3 Apple iPad’s generously provided by donated by World Courier, DHL and Faubel.

Laura Johnston Community Corporate Manager, Macmillan said: “We are delighted to receive such a significant donation. This money will be used to support cancer patients in Northern Ireland. Macmillan receives no government funding and relies on the generosity of the public and so we would like to convey our heartfelt thanks to the staff of Almac for ensuring we continue to provide our caring services.”

Claire Brown, Corporate Fundraiser, NI Children’s Hospice said: “Almac have excelled yet again with their annual fundraiser and we are delighted to be have been selected again as a chosen charity. NI Children’s Hospice relies heavily on the support of Corporate NI and this generous donation will allow us to continue providing essential care to terminally ill children and their families across NI.”

Almac Chief Executive Alan Armstrong thanked staff at the event for all their effort during the previous year but particularly for their support after the loss of the Almac founder and Chairman Sir Allen McClay.

Alan Armstrong said: “This event is our first after the sad loss of Sir Allen McClay. We remember how he always enjoyed and valued this occasion as the gathering of the Almac family. The ‘Event in the Tent’ is our way of recognising the effort of our team and it is a tradition I know Allen was tremendously proud of.

Looking forward to next year he said: “The next 12 months will be very exciting for Almac. We have recently taken possession of our new North American Headquarters facility and are working well towards full operations commencing during the autumn”.

Ends

Contact:

John Hart

Stakeholder Communications

T: 02890 339949

About Almac

The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The company employs over 2,800 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Almac has officially gained full possession of its new $120m North American Headquarters which started in July 2008 and employees will relocate during the fall.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

The post Almac ‘Event in the Tent’ raises £14,500 for Charities appeared first on Almac.

Almac One Step Closer to Completion of U.S. Headquarters Buildings

admin — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:18:41 +0000

Almac announced today that it has officially gained full possession of both buildings in its two-part North American Headquarters (NAHQ) construction. The ‘Use and Occupancy’ permits confirm that the building rights, previously shared with construction partner Skanska, are now solely under Almac ownership.

The $120 million project, which began in Summer 2008, is nearing completion as employees prepare for an early Fall transition. Relocation will begin this month with the official grand opening of the headquarters planned for late Spring 2011.

Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac, said, “We are extremely excited to see the next phase of this significant project complete, and I would like to thank Skanska for their remarkable progress. The completion of our new NAHQ facility will support our continuing business growth and better enable the fulfillment of Almac’s mission to advance human health by bringing new drugs to market sooner.”

Building 1, a three-story, 74,250 square foot office building, will house administrative teams from Almac’s Clinical Services, Clinical Technologies and Sciences business units. Key functional areas designed to enhance employee performance and meet customer needs are also located in Building 1, including a network operation center, meeting rooms, staff breakout areas, customer audit rooms, training rooms, learning lab, library and a packaging design room.

Building 2 is a partial two-story, 166,135 square foot building custom built for the production, analysis and distribution of clinical supplies. Key features include greatly expanded capacity in material storage areas, the introduction of analytical labs to the U.S. and a more streamlined layout for materials management from receipt through the warehouse to distribution. In addition, Building 2 will also obtain certification as a TSA Certified Cargo Screening Facility currently held by Almac’s facility in Audubon, PA.

Material storage space was a main area of focus when designing Almac’s second building. Capacity was greatly enhanced to accommodate a growing industry need, especially in the area of cold storage. “Much of the demand coming from customers has been in this area. Our current cold storage capacity in Audubon was limited, hence the 400% increase in capacity,” said Mark Rohlfing, Director of Quality at Almac.

Building on Almac’s Sciences’ 30 years experience from their headquarters site in Northern Ireland and additional facilities in Scotland, new analytical labs have also been installed, establishing the business unit’s first U.S. presence. This feature is one of many aimed to enhance integration across the Almac Group. “Pharmaceutical and Biotech clients will enjoy the benefits of a single site from day one, when they are able to approve multiple vendors – i.e. packaging/distribution, analytical and IVRS – all in one site visit,” said Dave Setley, Head of Business Development at Almac. Almac has coined this encompassing endeavour as “Pharmony.”

“Pharmony” is a unique approach to clinical trials that creates harmony for the pharmaceutical industry by strategically combining planning, packaging, distribution, analysis and technology to make clinical trials more effective and more efficient. More information can be found at www.FindPharmony.com

Contact:

Tristan Jervis

T.Jervis@Defacto.com

DeFacto Communications

The post Almac One Step Closer to Completion of U.S. Headquarters Buildings appeared first on Almac.

Almac supports Queens University “oncology hub” with new McClay library

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:44:54 +0000

Nobel Laureate, Seamus Heaney, opens McClay library following £10 million personal donation from Almac founder, Sir Allen McClay

Almac, the international, integrated contract development and manufacturing organisation, today celebrates with Queen’s University (Belfast) the official opening of the University’s new library – funded by the late Sir Allen McClay.

Sir Allen worked closely with Queen’s University to increase research and development into personalised medicine, acting as the bridge between academia and industry. After helping to establish Northern Ireland’s ‘oncology hub’ – a Northern Irish collaboration between academia and the pharmaceutical industry – Sir Allen donated £10 million to the University’s library to help enhance Northern Ireland’s knowledge-based economy, directly funding tomorrow’s leading scientists.

Lady Heather McClay with Seamus Heaney at the official opening of the McClay Library

Lady Heather McClay attended the opening and commented that the library was a most appropriate way to remember her late husband.

“Allen spent his entire life learning, even in his older years. As he set up and grew Almac he always said that he was learning every day. He held Queen’s University in the very highest regard and was acutely aware of the role universities play in driving an economy forward. He would be very pleased to have his name associated with the library and I am hopeful that what he achieved in business can inspire future business leaders in Northern Ireland.”

Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac also welcomed the opening of the McClay library.

“The library at Queen’s was one of the projects which gave Allen most satisfaction. He took great pride in the fact that Almac, as an international company with a presence in the USA and Europe, was headquartered right here at home in Northern Ireland. Queen’s University has the same level of international standing and it too has put Northern Ireland on the world map. This link up between the two is therefore very fitting and on behalf of the entire Almac family, I wish the McClay library every success.”

-ENDS-

For further information contact:

Tristan Jervis or Alex Heeley

Account Director / Account Manager

De Facto Communications

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7QD

T: +44 (0)207 861 3838

E: t.jervis@defacto.com

About Almac Group:

The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The company employs over 2,700 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Construction of the company’s new $120m North American Headquarters started in July 2008 and will be completed 2010.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

The post Almac supports Queens University “oncology hub” with new McClay library appeared first on Almac.

Special Recognition Accolade posthumously awarded to Sir Allen McClay, Founder of Almac

admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:55:48 +0000

Almac Group agrees to mentor the winner of the ‘Sir Allen McClay Young Business Person of the Year’ award

Almac, the international, integrated contract development and manufacturing organisation, had its late founder, Sir Allen McClay, posthumously honoured at Northern Ireland’s first ever Craigavon Business Awards. Additionally, a second award, ‘Young Business Person of the Year’ has also been named in Sir Allen’s honour. Almac was also awarded ‘Best Export Initiative’ in recognition of how it expanded its customer base and increased international competitiveness.

Lady Heather McClay holds the ‘Special Recognition Award’ presented to her in honour of

Sir Allen McClay by Craigavon Mayor Stephen Moutray

Lady Heather McClay was presented with the ‘Special Recognition Award’, which acknowledged the outstanding contributions Sir Allen made to both the pharmaceuticals business and the local Northern Ireland economy. This year, the ‘Sir Allen McClay Young Business Person of the Year’ accolade was awarded to Gareth Cairns, the founder of local agric engineering company, SlurryKat. Valuable mentoring, provided by Almac and seven of its business partners, accompanies this award.

Commenting on the awards, Almac CEO, Alan Armstrong commented:

“Everyone at Almac is immensely proud of everything Allen achieved in his life, both for the local economy and the wider pharmaceuticals industry. Allen had particular faith in talented young people and would no doubt have been extremely pleased to be associated with the Young Business Person award. These awards are a tremendous credit to the business he founded and built. Almac looks forward to continuing Allen’s creative ethos for driving innovation in the pharmaceuticals sector, whilst supporting the Northern Ireland economy.”

-ENDS-

For further information contact:

Tristan Jervis or Alex Heeley

Account Director / Account Manager

De Facto Communications

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7QD

T: +44 (0)207 861 3838

E: t.jervis@defacto.com

About Almac Group:

Almac is a financially stable, privately owned organisation with over 30 years experience. It provides integrated development solutions to over 600 customers worldwide including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Their services include R&D, translational genomic services; API manufacture; formulation and analytical development; clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/IWRS/ePRO) and commercial-scale manufacture and packaging.

The company has over 2,600 employees and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, where it was awarded “Business of the Year 2009”. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Construction of the company’s new $120m North American Headquarters in PA started in July 2008 and will be completed in 2010.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

The post Special Recognition Accolade posthumously awarded to Sir Allen McClay, Founder of Almac appeared first on Almac.

Almac wins UK Great Place to Work award

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:01:22 +0000

The Great Place to Work® Institute UK awarded Almac the accolade after a comprehensive vetting process that included an analysis of company data and survey responses from 400 randomly selected employees

“This prestigious accolade is further testament to Almac’s corporate values for ‘outstanding quality’, ‘exceptional innovation’, ‘superlative customer care’ and its commitment to hiring and keeping the industry’s most ‘inspirational people’”

said Alan Armstrong, CEO at Almac.

Almac, the Craigavon based, international integrated contract development and manufacturing organisation, has won a 2010 Great Place to Work® Institute UK annual award. The company was also judged by the Institute to be in the UK’s top five companies for its approach and ethos towards disability.

The awards follow a rigorous selection process whereby the Almac Group (Craigavon, Belfast, Scotland and Manchester offices) were evaluated on its staff survey responses to the Great Place to Work® Trust Index© – a proprietary employee survey developed by the Great Place to Work® Institute. In addition, the Institute also evaluated materials submitted by the company, including the company’s response to the Great Place to Work® Culture Audit©.

Almac, Adrienne Gilleece – Employee Communications Manager

The Great Place to Work® Institute has been assessing the world’s best companies in over 40 countries since 1980 and honours recipients according to its employees scores against the Institute’s values of ‘credibility’, ‘respect’, ‘fairness’, ‘pride’, and ‘camaraderie’.

Commenting on the award, Alan Armstrong, CEO said:

“This award is a tremendous tribute to how important each member of staff is to the company. Almac has always strived to employ and nurture the best minds in the industry and this award is yet further proof of the late Sir Allen McClay’s vision for a company committed to good corporate citizenship – a fact further exemplified by Almac’s presence as the only winner from the Pharma industry”.

Tom O’Byrne, CEO, The Great Place to Work® Institute UK said

“Almac Group demonstrated that they have progressive people management practices and even more importantly the essential ingredient of a truly great workplace – TRUST. By understanding how their employees think and feel, and engaging in open and honest communication the management have built trust in the leadership and the organisation.”

-ENDS-

For further information contact:

Tristan Jervis

Account Director

De Facto Communications

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7QD

T: +44 (0)207 861 3838

E: t.jervis@defacto.com

About Almac Group:

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

THE GREAT PLACE TO WORK® INSTITUTE:

The Great Place to Work® Institute, Inc. is a research and management consultancy based in the U.S. with International Affiliate offices throughout the world.

Great Place to Work® Institute UK has been identifying Best Workplaces in the UK for the last five years. The UK’s “Best Workplaces” list is published annually in the National Press Best Workplaces Special Report. The underlying concept behind the list is that by congratulating and highlighting best practice, other organisations will recognise the benefits of becoming a great workplace, gain an understanding of how to work towards this goal and ultimately be encouraged to follow suit. This in turn will improve the daily lives of employees throughout the UK.

Great Place to Work® Institute Europe is committed to support European affiliates in their efforts to help organisations across all sectors achieve lasting improvements in their workplace relationships that produce measurable business benefits and better corporate performance.

At the Great Place to Work® Institute, we have been listening to employees and evaluating employers since 1980, to understand what makes a workplace great. We know that the foundation of every great workplace is trust between employees and management. Our ongoing research, measurement tools, and educational services have made us leaders in helping build high-trust workplaces.

www.greatplacetowork.co.uk

The post Almac wins UK Great Place to Work award appeared first on Almac.

Almac Announces Environmentally-Friendly Features

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:09:48 +0000

April 22, 2010 (Souderton, PA) – Almac, the international drug development organization, celebrated Earth Day today by revealing the environmentally-friendly features of its new North American Headquarters. The complex, which is being built in Souderton, PA, is the first of its kind and will be one of the largest integrated clinical supply and technology facilities in the world. It is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2010, and will be officially opened in Spring 2011. The 240,000 square foot facility will house more than 750 employees.

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group said, “As we are now nearing completion of our new Headquarters in the Souderton community, we are pleased to announce on Earth Day that Almac has made every effort to ensure that our facility will be seen as both friendly to our environment and to our new community.”

Almac’s North American Headquarters will feature:

Full-Length Windows – Floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides of the administrative building will utilize natural heat from the sun to minimize heating costs.
Automatic Blind System – The custom blind system will be set on timers to adjust to five different positions and move as the sun does, heating and cooling each part of the building to reduce energy use.
White Roof – The white roof will reduce the need to cool the production building in the complex by reflecting the sun’s rays.
Reclaimed Water – Storm water run-off will be collected in a pond near the building and after filtration will be recycled for use within our restroom facilities
Non-Occupancy Lighting – All lights in the office buildings will automatically turn off when the spaces are unoccupied.
Energy Efficient Light Bulbs – The entire facility will be outfitted with new, “green” light bulbs.
Waste Separation – The company will separate all waste to maximize the recycling and re-use effort and reduce landfill waste.

The “green” focus is a core part of “Pharmony,” which is the centerpiece of the new integrated North American Headquarters. “Pharmony” is Almac’s unique approach to clinical trials that creates harmony for the pharmaceutical industry by strategically combining planning, packaging, distribution, analysis, and technology to make clinical trials more effective and efficient. Unlike other companies who focus on either manufacturing or technology, Almac brings the parts of the clinical trials process together under one roof. This creates new opportunities for efficiency, collaboration, innovation, and environmental benefits in drug development. More information can be found at www.FindPharmony.com.

About Almac

Almac is a financially stable, privately owned organization with over 30 years experience in clinical trials services. It provides integrated development solutions to over 600 customers worldwide including world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Services include research and development, translational genomic services, API manufacturing, formulation and analytical development, clinical trial supply and technology services, and commercial-scale manufacturing and packaging.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Announces Environmentally-Friendly Features appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Finds Pharmony With New Website

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:49:16 +0000

Features will allow clients and community to interact with one of the World’s Largest Integrated Clinical Supply and Technology Facility

April 15, 2010 (Souderton, PA) – Almac, the international drug development organization, today launched www.findPharmony.com. The new microsite gives users a virtual view of the company’s new North American Headquarters, which will be one of the world’s largest integrated clinical supply and technology facilities. It is strategically located in Souderton, Pennsylvania, close to the pharmaceutical hub in the Philadelphia area. Almac’s North American Headquarters is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2010, and will be officially opened in spring 2011. The 240,000 square foot facility will house more than 750 employees.

FindPharmony.com refers to Almac’s unique approach, which is the centerpiece of the new integrated North American Headquarters. “Pharmony” creates harmony for the pharmaceutical industry by strategically combining planning, packaging, distribution, analysis, and technology to make clinical trials more effective and efficient. Unlike other companies who focus on either manufacturing or technology, Almac brings the parts of the clinical trials process together under one roof. This creates new opportunities for efficiency, collaboration, and innovation in drug development.

“Our new North American Headquarters marks a significant change.” said Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac Group. “For the first time, the people and processes necessary for successful integration of clinical supplies, testing and technology will be working together, hand-in-hand in real-time. FindPharmony.com is our invitation to our clients, community, media, and employees to participate in our exciting development.”

FindPharmony.com features a number of interactive opportunities for Almac’s clients and community, including:

Photo Gallery – the development of the building from the groundbreaking on
Community Calendar – learn about events Almac is sponsoring as well as other community tours of the Headquarters and other important dates
Twitter Feed – get regular updates from Almac leaders around the world
Career Opportunities – access latest job opportunities via the website

Contact:

Cass Oryl

E: coryl@gobraithwaite.com

T: 215-564-3200 x116

About Almac

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

The post Almac Group Finds Pharmony With New Website appeared first on Almac.

Almac wins Excellence in Innovation Category at Tenth Annual Belfast Telegraph / BMI Northern Ireland Business Awards – Read more.

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:58:35 +0000

Accolade is testimony to the discovery and validation of new pioneering biomarkers in the filed of personalised medicine by Almac’s Diagnostics division.

Almac, the Craigavon based, international integrated contract development and manufacturing organisation, has won the 2010 Belfast Telegraph / BMI Northern Ireland Business Award for ‘innovation’ – also receiving a commendation in the ‘exporting achievement’ category.

Almac received the award largely in recognition of the innovative and world leading ‘personalised medicine’ work undertaken by its Diagnostics division, using Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) samples for molecular analysis of DNA and RNA profiling. This novel technique opens up the possibility of retrospective analysis of samples, greatly aiding the discovery of genomic biomarkers, and ultimately helping to create therapies that are more effective for individual patients.

One of the main challenges faced in the discovery and validation of biomarkers is the availability of suitable human tissues for analysis. Standard clinical practice involves storing biopsy/surgery tissues as FFPE samples. This common procedure has been in use for decades and it is estimated that worldwide there are hundreds of millions of tissue samples stored in this manner. However, the problem until now has been that tissues stored in this way are not well suited to molecular analysis (i.e. DNA and RNA profiling).

In response to this, Almac has developed a range of proprietary tools, which have been optimised to allow molecular profiling of these difficult to work with, but highly valuable FFPE tissues. These Cancer DSA® (Disease Specific Array) research tools are the first high-density microarrays to focus on the transcriptome of a particular disease.

So far, Almac has created DSA® research tools for breast, colorectal, ovarian, lung and prostate cancers. These contain the most comprehensive information available for the disease under investigation on a single array and enable generation of robust data from FFPE and frozen samples, whilst delivering additional information on the disease setting.

The unique combination of Almac’s proprietary DSA® research tools, optimised reagents, kits and processes, and internal expertise were factors that contributed to Almac securing the award.

“All three finalists demonstrated an outstanding aptitude for designing innovative products pertinent to their market sector. Each organisation has successfully nurtured a culture of innovation, the success of which is reflected in market growth and ultimately their bottom line. The judging panel agreed that Almac’s depth of understanding of the industry and technology available made it a worthy winner”, said Brenda Morgan, BMI Northern Ireland Sales Manager and member of the judging panel.

Commenting on the award Almac’s Diagnostic President & M.D., Professor Paul Harkin said: “This award is a tremendous tribute to the innovative work being progressed at our Diagnostics division. Almac is committed to driving research and development, both internally and with partners, to enhance personalised medicine. It is our goal to become a global leader in the delivery of personalised medicine.”

-ENDS-

For further information contact:

Tristan Jervis

Account Director

De Facto Communications

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7QD

T: +44 (0)207 861 3838

E: t.jervis@defacto.com

About Almac Group:

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

The post Almac wins Excellence in Innovation Category at Tenth Annual Belfast Telegraph / BMI Northern Ireland Business Awards – Read more. appeared first on Almac.

Almac and Queens University Belfast showcase Northern Irish ‘oncology hub’ to senior Washington DC delegates

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:06:26 +0000

The event introduces the Almac led initiative to a US audience of senior pharma, academic and Governmental agencies to encourage strategic collaboration in oncology between the US and Northern Ireland.

Almac, an international drug development organisation, today opens a high-level, invitation only, WashingtonDC event – ‘From Science to Society: A Northern Ireland Showcase in Cancer Genomics and Personalized Medicine’ – highlighting the capabilities and exceptional work of Northern Ireland’s established ‘oncology hub’. The event will be opened by Declan Kelly, US Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland, appointed by US Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Clinton. Arlene Foster, MLA, Minister for the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment will be presenting ‘Setting the Northern Ireland Context’ and Dr John Niederhuber, Director, National Cancer Institute will be presenting ‘NCI – Northern Ireland Relationship’.

The ‘oncology hub’, a Northern Irish collaboration between academia and the pharmaceutical industry, is seeking to share its accrued expertise and to expand its links and association with the international and US based pharmaceutical, biotech and diagnostic industries, in addition to academic and clinical research centers.

Almac, working with Queens University Belfast, is striving to increase research and development into personalised medicine, by acting as the bridge between academia and industry. Audiences in attendance today include senior academics, Government sponsored health executives, clinical research and pharmaceutical executives. Moreover, US legislative officials from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, including senior staff from the office of former Democrat Presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rhian Chilcott, Head of the Confederation of British Industry’s Washington Office.

Commenting on the event, Almac’s CEO, Alan Armstrong, remarked: “we are delighted to take this opportunity to address key opinion formers and industry representatives in the US and to highlight Northern Ireland’s ‘oncology hub’ and its specific expertise and extensive service offering in the realm of personalised medicine. Raising the hub’s profile amongst senior decision makers and Government officials will help ensure that appropriate support reaches this commendable initiative, which is constantly striving to break new ground and foster further innovation in personalised medicine”

-ENDS-

For further information contact:

Tristan Jervis

Account Director

De Facto Communications

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7QD

T: +44 (0)207 861 3838

E: t.jervis@defacto.com

About Almac Group:

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

The post Almac and Queens University Belfast showcase Northern Irish ‘oncology hub’ to senior Washington DC delegates appeared first on Almac.

Almac wins prestigious Aer Lingus Viscount Award for Overall Excellence

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:13:51 +0000

Accolade is formal recognition of Almac’s considerable contribution to sustaining economic ties between the UK and Ireland

Almac, the Craigavon based, international integrated contract development and manufacturing organization, has received the Aer Lingus Viscount Award for Overall Excellence.

The award is given annually for providing an outstanding contribution to the Northern Irish economy and improving business relationships between the UK and Ireland.

Aer Lingus, in association with UTV and Business Eye, chose Almac in recognition of the company’s enhancement of the Northern Irish knowledge economy and for its continued growth in highly competitive global markets.

Almac a strong and stable player in the international pharmaceutical market has been able to demonstrate a continuous and growing presence in Ireland, and internationally, despite turbulent economic conditions and the worst global recession for nearly 70-years.

The judging panel was made up of Tracy Meharg, Managing Director of the Innovation & Capability Group at Invest NI, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Jamie Delargy, Business Editor at UTV, Richard Buckley, Editor of Business Eye and Enda Corneille, Corporate Affairs Director at Aer Lingus.

Commenting on the announcement, Almac’s CEO, Alan Armstrong, said: “We are tremendously proud of what Almac has achieved over the last 30-years and the company’s Northern Irish roots. This award is testament to the excellence we have achieved across all divisions of our business, and in particular, the excellent team we have built – which has enabled Almac to grow into the successful company that it is today. “

-ENDS-

For further information contact:

Tristan Jervis

Account Director

De Facto Communications

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7QD

T: +44 (0)207 861 3838

E: t.jervis@defacto.com

About Almac Group:

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

The post Almac wins prestigious Aer Lingus Viscount Award for Overall Excellence appeared first on Almac.

Statement on the Sad Death of Sir Allen McClay

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:24:46 +0000

Almac has confirmed that company Chairman Sir Allen McClay died yesterday in the Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia.

Sir Allen had been receiving treatment since November last year, having taken ill while in the United States on business.

Alan Armstrong, CEO said:

“On behalf of all the employees at Almac we express our very sincere regret and sorrow at the death of our founder and company Chairman Sir Allen McClay. Allen was a father figure to every single Almac employee, he often referred to his Almac family and we all shared that view of the organisation he created.

“Our sympathy goes to Allen’s family and especially his wife Heather.”

-Ends-

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Almac staff raise £9,000 for local charities

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:19:06 +0000

Fundraising at annual ‘Event in the tent’ raises £4500 each for Northern Ireland Hospice and Southern Area Hospice Services.

Two local charities are set to benefit from the generosity of Almac’s employees following this year’s ‘Event in the Tent’ celebration. The ‘Event in the Tent’, held annually, celebrates the company’s achievements during the year and is the highlight of the Almac social calendar. 1100 staff attended the knees-up which took place on Friday 18th September.

Each year Almac organise a raffle to which suppliers donate a range of top quality prizes which this year raised £9000 for Northern Ireland charities – the highest amount yet.

Elaine Gibson from the Almac Group presented cheques for £4500 each to Fiona Stephens from Newry-based Southern Area Hospice Services and Claire Brown from Northern Ireland Hospice at the company’s headquarters last week.

Elaine said: “This year’s event was our biggest yet and it is touching to note that even with the ongoing financial difficulties, those in the Almac family continue to give generously. This year’s donation totals £9000 which is the largest amount raised yet.”

Fiona Stephens from Southern Area Hospice Services said: “I am honoured to accept this cheque on behalf of Southern Area Hospice Services. We work to provide support and care to people with Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and other terminal illnesses. These funds will enable us to provide the very best quality of life for our patients and their families.”

Claire Brown from Northern Ireland Hospice said: “I would like to thank all the staff at Almac for their fundraising efforts. This money will help us continue to provide specialist palliative care for those with life limiting and life threatening illness and their families. Our work is vital and we rely on voluntary contributions like this received today.”

Ends

Contact

Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

02890 339949/ 07841 970678

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Almac Clinical Technologies Named One of the ‘Best Places to Work in PA 2009’

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:42:37 +0000

Almac Clinical Technologies announced today that it has been named one of the Best Places to Work in PA for 2009. The awards program, created in 2000, is one of the first statewide programs of its kind in the country. It consists of a public/private partnership between Team Pennsylvania Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the Central Penn Business Journal.

This survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places to be employed in Pennsylvania. It is intended to acknowledge companies that have established a dynamic and productive working environment for their employees.

Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the 100 Best Places to Work in PA. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophies, systems and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores of both parts determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process.

Jim Murphy, Almac Clinical Technologies’ President, says,

“Almac is very proud to be named one of the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania. The key to success in our business is people. In order to exceed the expectations of our clients, we must heavily invest to recruit the best talent available, train and develop our employees, and provide them with the tools to succeed. Our clients expect the highest levels of project management and customer service excellence. We do whatever is necessary to make sure we deliver on those expectations. This award strongly indicates we are doing so successfully.”

Valarie Higgins, Vice President of Clinical Project Services at Almac, comments that employee development is part of the reason Almac has grown so rapidly in the past two years. Higgins said :

“We provide a variety of services to help our clients, mainly pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, bring life-saving drugs to market. Part of our promise to clients is that we offer the best possible opportunities for employees to obtain new skills, learn from the experience of senior staff, and grow as professionals. We believe that the key to our success is how effectively our employees deliver on customer requirements, and we take great pride when our clients succeed. At the end of each day, our employees know they have grown as professionals and contributed to a healthier world. This is what makes Almac one of the Best Places to Work in PA in 2009.”

Almac Clinical Technologies will be recognized at the Best Places to Work in PA evening awards ceremony on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, at the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center in Hershey, PA. Rankings will be revealed at the ceremony.

-End-

Contact:

Meghan Adams

T: (001) 267-685-4284

E: clinicaltechnologies@almacgroup.com

W: almacgroup.com

About Almac Clinical Technologies

Almac Clinical Technologies is a division of the Almac Group that specializes in interactive technology and service solutions to increase the quality and efficiency of the clinical trial process. Our solutions include Interactive Voice and Web Response Systems (IXRS™) for patient randomization, tracking and clinical supply management; electronic patient reported outcomes data collection; and Web drug reconciliation. Almac’s technologies have been deployed in over 1,400 clinical trials, incorporating over 1.5 million patients in over 80 countries and more than 60 languages.

About Almac Group:

The company employs over 2,500 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Construction of the company’s new $112m North American Headquarters started in July 08 and is expected to be completed in 2010. Almac was awarded Northern Ireland’s “Business of the Year” award in 2009.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

For more information on Best Places to Work in PA, visit www.bestplacestoworkinpa.com or contact Heather Long at the Central Penn Business Journal at 717-236-4300 or HeatherL@journalpub.com.

The post Almac Clinical Technologies Named One of the ‘Best Places to Work in PA 2009’ appeared first on Almac.

Almac Secures Room to Grow; Plans Expected to Lead to 500 Jobs

admin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:22:37 +0000

Almac, one of Northern Ireland’s leading businesses, has secured planning permission for major expansion plans that could potentially see the company create over 500 jobs during the next five years.

In 2008 staff numbers in the UK rose by 15% to 1,426 and in the US by 10% to 762. The company also announced the creation of 128 new graduate and research positions in the first two months of 2009.

The initial phase of the planned further development will see Almac construct a large three-storey office unit to accommodate over 220 existing staff and expected recruits. For the second phase of expansion the company obtained outline planning permission for a new research facility as well as a new distribution unit to expand existing capacity.

The plans are expected to lead to additional posts across the Group comprising a mix of administrative and support staff as well as a significant proportion of graduate positions.

Group Chairman Sir Allen McClay said: “This is an exciting time for Almac. Since our foundation in 2001 we have grown at record levels, and we expect this trend to continue over the coming years. With our rapid rate of growth it was important to put proper plans in place and provide the necessary room for Almac to expand.”

Speaking on a recent visit to Almac Northern Ireland Economy Minister Arlene Foster said, “Almac is now one of the most respected, innovative companies operating in the highly competitive global pharmaceutical industry. Under the vision and leadership of Sir Allen McClay and his highly skilled research teams, Almac has rapidly become a significant player in the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.”

As well as the continued construction of their new $112 million North American Headquarters, over the past eighteen months Almac have invested around £10m at the Craigavon site in a new laboratory block and a specialist cold storage facility for clinical trial materials.

When completed the new facilities are expected to represent another capital investment on a similar scale.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

Contact:

John Hart

Stakeholder Communications

T: + 44 (0) 2890 339949

E: john.hart@stakeholdergroup.com

Philip Diamond

Almac Group

T: +44(0)28 3833 2200

E: info@almacgroup.com

About Almac Group:

The company employs over 2,400 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Construction of the company’s new $112m North American Headquarters started in July 08 and is expected to be completed 2010.

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

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Establishment of McClay Foundation Marks New Era for Northern Ireland

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:26:26 +0000

Major plans in place for joint research plan with Queen’s University on personalised medicine in oncology.
Inaugural McClay Foundation Lecture to be delivered at Second International Cancer Symposium.

2nd September 2009

Speaking today Sir Allen McClay, Chairman of the Almac Group, formally announced the establishment of the McClay Foundation, a charitable trust, one of the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. The Foundation aims to advance the use of diagnostic tools and drugs in the prevention, control and cure of disease; support and encourage research and innovation in the field of healthcare and allied technologies; increase capacity of all people and specifically those in the developing world to access the latest benefits in healthcare, and to generate and promote employment opportunities for the people of Northern Ireland.

Sir Allen McClay said: “I have long recognised the strengths that both industry and academia contribute to the ongoing fight against cancer and many other illnesses. The McClay Foundation will fund projects which harness the energies of these two sectors to advance diagnosis and treatments for the prevention, control and cure of disease. By funding such projects we will improve the lives of many people who today have limited access to suitable treatments. This is a new era for Northern Ireland and will ensure the region becomes internationally recognised for its excellence in medical research.”

The inaugural McClay Foundation Lecture will be delivered at the Queen’s University’s Second International Cancer Symposium on Cancer Biology to be held in Belfast, Northern Ireland on the 2nd September. The lecture will be delivered by Professor Alan Ashworth, from the Institute of Cancer Research, London who will discuss ‘Synthetic Lethal Strategies for Exploiting DNA Repair Defects in Cancer’. The McClay Foundation lecture, set to become an annual event, marks the contribution to the pharmaceutical industry of the Chairman and founder of Almac, Sir Allen McClay.

Almac’s central role in the symposium is part of a strengthening relationship with the Queen’s University of Belfast. In addition the McClay Foundation, Queen’s University and Invest NI are currently finalising proposals for a ‘Strategic Research Collaboration in Drug Discovery and Synthetic Organic Chemistry’ which will see the establishment of a dedicated five-year research plan for the advancement of personalised medication in Oncology. The initiative aims to create a synergy built on Almac’s and Queen’s University’s recognised world-leading expertise in oncology, drug discovery and organic chemistry.

Professor Dennis McCance, Scientific Director of the Queen’s University Center for Cancer Research & Cell Biology said: “CCRCB at Queen’s and Almac have built a close relationship over the years in cancer research and this partnership is now embarking on a major new collaboration which will identify new targets for drug development. This partnership will have a major impact on cancer treatment for the people of Northern Ireland and will instigate a new era of University and industry collaboration.”

Tracy Meharg, Managing Director of Innovation and Capability Development, Invest NI added: “Almac has established a global reputation for research excellence in the life sciences sector and in particular, the development of personalised medicine in oncology. At the heart of Almac’s success lies a commitment to R&D and strong partnerships with local academia. Invest NI has forged a positive and fruitful relationship with the Almac Group and we look forward to building upon this as the company moves into a new era of growth.”

Sir Allen added: “In an era which has seen rising drug development costs and lower levels of innovation, I am confident that increased levels of collaboration across industry and academia can deliver improved healthcare solutions to those in the developed and developing world. I look forward to working with colleagues at Almac, Queen’s University and Invest NI to oversee the delivery of this plan.”

The McClay Foundation and Sir Allen McClay will now be the sole shareholders of the Almac Group. The Group’s commerical operations are not affected by the establishment of the Foundation and the Board of Directors of the Almac Group and the Trustees of the McClay Foundation will operate as separate, independent entities. The McClay Trust, which has already donated some £20m to charitable causes, including £10m to the new Queen’s University Library, will now fall under the auspices of the McClay Foundation.

-Ends-

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Almac Event Proves Engineers Make It Happen

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:52:23 +0000

8th May 2009 – Yesterday over 40 careers advisers and careers teachers from across Northern Ireland attended the ‘Engineers Make It Happen’ event at pharmaceutical development firm Almac in Craigavon. Co-hosted by the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) and the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA), the event sought to highlight the need to encourage more young people to pursue a career in engineering at all skill levels from apprentice to graduate. The event formed part of the ‘Engineers Make It Happen’ programme that the ETB is running in Northern Ireland, funded by the Department for Employment and Learning and Invest Northern Ireland.

Speakers at the event from both industry and the education sector echoed the message that despite the current financial climate, the engineering industry offers considerable employment prospects, especially for skilled technicians and it is one of the key sectors that will power the UK out of recession. They further highlighted that the Northern Irish engineering workforce is ageing, while there is a shortage of new talent emerging to fill the spaces. Reports from Semta (the Sector Skills Council for science and engineering), Cogent (the Sector Skills Council for the process industry) and E-Skills (the Sector Skills Council for the IT industry) have highlighted concerns over this lack of supply of new talent coming through education in Northern Ireland.

Victor Jordan, the ETB’s Northern Ireland Manager, said: “Many people of all ages are unaware of the variety of careers available in engineering and the contribution the sector makes to our everyday lives. Career’s advisers and teachers have a vital role to play in building awareness about the opportunities a career in engineering can offer to young people, and with this event we wish to highlight the prospects that exist for students within the sector. This includes not only emphasising employment options but also the excitement that comes from a career where people can really make things happen, from building bridges to engineering new pharmaceuticals.”

John Douglas, Head of Engineering at Almac, said “We are delighted to support the work of the ETB and the LSDA to ensure that those people who advise students about careers are knowledgeable about the importance and reward of careers in engineering. As a pharma and biotech company who recently created almost 100 new jobs in the local economy, we appreciate the need to develop Northern Ireland’s skills and knowledge base to satisfy not only Almac’s requirements but also those of a developing sector. We believe helping to inspire the young scientists and engineers of tomorrow is key to our continued success.”

Ends

For further information please contact Callum Laidlaw on 020 7300 6136 or callum.laidlaw@bm.com

Notes to Editors

‘Engineers make it happen’ Almac Agenda

9.00 Registration & Coffee

9.30 Welcome

John Douglas, Head of Engineering, Almac

9.40 Introduction & Company Overview

Kerry Lyle, Corporate Market Development Coordinator

10.00 Science in Engineering

Dr Peter Donnelly, Bio Business Northern Ireland

10.30 Pathways to a Career in Science

Raymond Whiteford, Head of STEM,BelfastMetropolitanCollege

10.55 A ‘Day in the Life’ of:

• Steve McIntyre, Chemistry Team Leader, Almac

• Angus Lancaster, Diverse Engineering Manager, Almac

11.20 Coffee

11.50 Overview of the National Engineering Campaign

Victor Jordan, Northern Ireland Campaign Manager

12.00 Working in Engineering

Tim Harrison, Vice President, Discovery Chemistry, Almac

12.20 Open Forum Discussion

12.30 Engineering in Action – a view of the ‘Shop Floor’

1.30 Lunch and Networking

About the Engineering and Technology Board

The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) is an independent organisation that promotes the vital contribution that engineers, engineering and technology make to our society and inspires people at all levels to pursue careers in engineering and technology. The ETB partners business and industry, government and the wider science and engineering community: producing evidence on the state of engineering, and inspiring young people to choose a career in engineering, matching employers’ demand for skills. For more information about the ETB please visit www.etechb.co.uk. The ETB’s ‘Engineers Make It Happen’ programme is co-funded by the Department for Employment and Learning and Invest Northern Ireland, and is working with further education colleges, employers and skills organisations in Northern Ireland to improve the supply of technician-level engineers from further education into engineering industry, and to increase the understanding of engineering careers, at all skill levels, in the student population.

About the LSDA

The Learning and Skills Development AgencyNorthern Ireland (LSDA NI) is part of the Learning and Skills Network (LSN) which is an independent not-for-profit organisation committed to making a difference to learning and skills by improving quality and driving excellence in further education and training. LSDA do this by delivering quality improvement and staff development programmes that support specific government initiatives. This is achieved through research, development, staff training and consultancy and by supplying services directly to any organisation with an interest in high quality education and training. Support is always practical, delivered by skilled staff with wide ranging experience of working in education and training.

About Almac Group

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

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Almac – `Business of the Year Award is Company Milestone’

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:04:43 +0000

The Almac Group, headquartered in Craigavon Northern Ireland, with further sites across the UK and USA, is celebrating success after being named ‘Business of the Year’ by Northern Ireland’s main daily newspaper, ‘The Belfast Telegraph’ in association with BMI.

Competing against the cream of Northern Ireland’s business talent Almac was recognised for its contribution to the knowledge economy, and growing success in competing in global markets despite the economic downturn.

Almac picked up the overall ‘Business of the Year’ accolade building on their success earlier in the evening winning the category for ‘Excellence in Exporting Achievement’. The company were recently named ‘Exporter of the Year’ Northern Ireland’s economic development agency Invest NI. Almac are one of the largest exporters in the Northern Ireland economy and in 2008 saw export sales generate over 70% of the company turnover.

Almac Group CEO Alan Armstrong expressed his pride in the recognition and said he expected 2009 to be an exciting year for the company.

“Winning the ‘Excellence in Export Achievement’ was a great accomplishment for Almac at Northern Ireland’s main business awards, but to be recognised as our local economy’s top business will be remembered as a milestone in Almac’s development for many years to come.”

“Our strong growth is testament to our focus on innovation, quality and dedication of the entire team across the Almac Group. We are continuing to grow with 2008 seeing staff numbers in Northern Ireland rise by 15% to 1,428 and in the US by 10% to 762; so far in 2009 we have extended our staff by a further 180. In addition, appropriately on St. Patrick’s Day, our new $112m US Headquarters in Lower Salford Township, Pennsylvania reached the landmark stage of its ‘Topping Off’ ceremony.”

“I’d like to thank all our staff for their contribution to this fantastic recognition. I am confident that it is only the latest award as Almac continues to develop new market leading products and services for our customers.”

-Ends-

Contact:

Philip Diamond

Almac Group

T: +44(0)28 3833 2200

E: info@almacgroup.com

Carl Whyte / John Hart

Stakeholder Communications

T: + 44 (0) 2890 339949

E: carl@stakeholdergroup.com

About Almac Group:

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com

The post Almac – `Business of the Year Award is Company Milestone’ appeared first on Almac.

Almac Tops Off New North American Headquarters

admin — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:07:54 +0000

Staff and management from Almac gathered at the site of their new North American headquarters yesterday along with representatives from construction firm Skanska for a traditional ‘topping off’ ceremony to celebrate the last piece of framing steel being put into place on the new $78m building.

Located on a 40-acre site in Lower Salford, Pennsylvania, the project will include a 166,600-square-foot facility housing clinical supply warehouse/storage, packaging, shipping and receiving, label control areas, as well as a second 75,000-square-foot facility housing administration, communication and the network operations center. Designed by Francis Cauffman, both buildings are expected to be fully operational in 2010.

Speaking at the ceremony, Robert Dunlop, President of Almac Clinical Services said: “We are very pleased with the remarkable progress of our North American Headquarters project, and would like to congratulate Skanska project management and the entire construction team on reaching this major milestone. The completion of Almac’s new North American Headquarters facility will support our continuing business growth and better enable the fulfillment of Almac’s mission to advance human health by bringing new drugs to market sooner.”

Edward Szwarc, Skanska’s Area General Manager said: “This is an exciting day for Pennsylvania’s pharmaceutical and biotech industry, as Almac’s new North American headquarters is that much closer to being finished on time. The completion of this project will bring hundreds of new jobs into the region, in addition to the near 500 created during the construction phase. We look forward to working with Almac and Souderton officials to wrap up this important project.”

The new headquarters are expected to open in 2010 and over 760 people will be employed at the site.

-END-

Contact:

Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

+ 44 (0) 2890 339949

About Almac Group:

For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

About Skanska

Skanska USA Building Inc. is a leading national and local provider of construction, pre-construction consulting, general contracting and design-build services to a broad range of U.S. industries including science and technology, healthcare, education, high-tech, aviation, transportation and sports and entertainment. SkanskaUSABuilding also provides pharmaceutical validation services to clients. The company, part of the Skanska AB global group of companies, is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., and has approximately 4,700 employees.

Skanska is one of the world’s leading construction groups with expertise in construction, development of commercial and residential projects and public-private partnerships. The Group currently has 60,000 employees in selected home markets in Europe, in the U.S. and Latin America. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Skanska’s sales in 2007 totaled $20 billion.

The post Almac Tops Off New North American Headquarters appeared first on Almac.

Almac Win “Exporter of the Year” in Economic Awards

admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:11:17 +0000

The Almac Group, headquartered in Craigavon Northern Ireland, with further sites across the UK and USA, is celebrating success after being named ‘Exporter of the Year’ by Northern Ireland’s economic development agency, Invest Northern Ireland.

The ‘Exporter of the Year’ award recognises outstanding export achievement and growth of a local business which have been exporting for over four years. It was one of five awards presented to local businesses as part of the Invest NI Innovation & Export Awards.

The achievement comes on the back of a successful 2008 for the group with export sales generating over 70% of the company turnover.

Almac are a major contributor to the Northern Ireland economy and are becoming increasingly important as it moves towards a high-value knowledge-based economy with strong potential for further development in the Pharma and Biotech sectors.

Almac’s Chief Executive Officer Alan Armstrong expressed pride in the recognition and said 2009 is going to be an exciting year for the company.

“As a Northern Ireland based company doing business with clients right across the globe, we have always understood the importance of developing existing export markets as well as exploring new export opportunities.

“This award from Invest NI is testament to the innovation of our company and the ingenuity of those working right across the Almac Group. For many years we have recognised the significance of building a balanced client portfolio right across the sector and this strategy is proving all the more important during the current downturn. We continue to recruit and have a positive outlook for the future. I would like to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to all those working at Almac who make our success possible.”

-Ends-

Contact:

Brendan Mulgrew / Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

02890 339949 / 07767 393252

About Almac

The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, translational genomic services, API manufacture, product development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/EDC), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to over 600 companies including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The company has almost 2,200 employees and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Construction of the company’s new $100m North American Headquarters started in July 08 and is expected to be completed 2010.

To find out more about Almac visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Win “Exporter of the Year” in Economic Awards appeared first on Almac.

Almac Jobs Boost for Northern Ireland

admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:13:45 +0000

128 new positions across Almac group

The Almac Group, which is based in Craigavon, has created almost 100 full time jobs in Northern Ireland in the first two months of 2009. Twenty full time positions were filled in January with an additional 25 new recruits due to come on board this month. A further 54 jobs have already been advertised. Over 90% of the new full time positions are aimed at graduates, with scientists in particular being sought by the pharmaceutical company. Almac expanded its workforce by 250 in total last year. This brings our Northern Ireland total to 1559 and 2422 worldwide.

The new jobs have been created across the range of Almac’s research and pharmaceutical development activities. Chief Executive Alan Armstrong is confident that 2009 will be a year of significant growth for the company. The continued growth in employee numbers also extends to the US operation of Almac where 52 new recruits have joined the company since the beginning of this year.

“Last year we grew our employee numbers by 15% in Northern Ireland. In the first two months of this year we will have recruited 99 full time staff and an additional 28 temporary workers. This is down to the continued success of the company in the pharmaceutical sector and particularly in the clinical trial and research areas. Almac is a Northern Ireland organisation which is operating at the very highest level of pharmaceutical development.”

“The vast majority of positions we are seeking to fill require a third level qualification so despite the negativity which may exist there are opportunities for local graduates to enter employment. We are particularly looking for graduates qualified in scientific disciplines. We continue to invest in both our people and our structures. Here in Craigavon we have invested in new IT systems and infrastructure. Later this year we will open a new analytical annex, while in Philadelphia considerable progress has been made on our new US headquarters. We believe strongly in both the quality of our staff and the service we provide for our clients. The success of this business is driven by its employees, and this year will see an ever increasing number joining the Almac family.”

-Ends-

Contact:

Brendan Mulgrew / Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

02890 339949 / 07767 393252

About Almac

The company has over 2,200 employees and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Construction of the company’s new $100m North American Headquarters started in July 08 and is expected to be completed 2010.

To find out more about Almac visit almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com.

The post Almac Jobs Boost for Northern Ireland appeared first on Almac.

Almac Growth Continues Into 2009

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:16:57 +0000

The Almac Group, with headquarters in Craigavon and sites in the UK and the USA, expanded its local and international workforce by almost 250 this year, and is looking forward to further expansion in 2009.

In the 12 month period ending December 2008 the local workforce rose by 15% from 1,242 to 1,428. In the US the employee number rose by 10% to 762.

Almac’s Chief Executive Officer Alan Armstrong welcomed the increase in employee numbers and said that the new recruits are spread across all activities of the company. Among the additional 248 new Group employees 60% are graduates.

“Each month we have an induction process for incoming staff. 14 new recruits went through the induction process in December and already 12 are lined up for January, so we have every reason to face into the coming year with a degree of optimism. The pharmaceutical sector is far from immune to the global financial crisis but Almac is a company which operates at the highest level of research and development and meeting the needs of our customers in a precise, high quality way.

“The next year will see considerable progress in the building of our new US headquarters in Pennsylvania as well as many other exciting developments across the full spectrum of Almac’s operations.

“We continue to attract high quality employees to the company and it is the quality of our staff which drives the success of Almac. It is satisfying to know that through our continued success we are also making a significant contribution to the local economy.”

NOTE:

Almac now employs 2,190 across the group.

The NI employee number is 1,428

-Ends-

Contact:

Brendan Mulgrew / Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

02890 339949 / 07767 393252

About Almac

The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, translational genomic services, API manufacture, product development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVR/ePRO), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to over 600 companies including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

To find out more about Almac visit almacgroup.com

The post Almac Growth Continues Into 2009 appeared first on Almac.

Almac Group Staff Raise £7,000 for Local Charities

admin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:19:32 +0000

Fundraising at annual marquee secures £3,500 each for Macmillan Cancer Support and Southern Area Hospice Services.

Employees of the Almac Group, headquartered in Craigavon, Co. Armagh, have gone better than ever before at their annual staff marquee celebration when it comes to raising funds for needy charities. Each year the Almac staff dig deep and last month they came up with £7,000 for Northern Ireland charities – the highest amount raised so far.

Elaine Gibson, Almac Group, presented a £3,500 cheque to Fiona Stephens from Southern Area Hospice Services and Laura Johnston from Macmillan Cancer Support at the company’s headquarters on Monday.

Elaine said: “At our annual company celebration it is important that we remember those in need and every year we make special effort to raise funds for charities in Northern Ireland.”

Fiona Stephens from the Southern Area Hospice Services said: “I am honoured to accept this cheque on behalf of Southern Area Hospice Services. We work to provide support and care to people with Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and other terminal illnesses. These funds will enable us to provide the very best quality of life for our patients and their families.”

Laura Johnston from Macmillan Cancer Support said: “We provide practical, medical, emotional and financial support to people in Northern Ireland whose lives are affected by cancer. This money will help us continue to provide such services to families in Northern Ireland and we are grateful to staff at Almac for their fundraising efforts.”

Ends

Contact

Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

02890 339949/ 07841 970678

About Almac

To find out more about Almac visit almacgroup.com

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Almac Donate $50,000 to Harleysville Area Emergency Medical Services

admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:23:18 +0000

Local pharmaceutical development organisation, Almac today announced a major $50,000 donation to Harleysville Area Emergency Medical Services (HAEMS). The donation comes just a week after Almac broke the ground for their new $100million Headquarters in the LowerSalfordTownship area.

Construction of the new 240,000 sq ft building on the 40acre site starts this month and is expected to be completed in 2010. In addition to the current 495 staff relocating, an extra 265 jobs will be created.

Jim Murphy, President & Managing Director, Almac Clinical Technologies said: “At Almac we are conscious of our status as relative newcomers to the Lower Salford community. This is why we are delighted to donate this money to HAEMS, an organisation that has a proud tradition of saving lives and serving the local community with distinction for over 100 years.

“Although our building project has yet to really take shape we at Almac believe this donation shows that our commitment to the Lower Salford community is concrete.

“Almac is committed to advancing human health, but due to the nature of our business the research often has a considerable run-in time before it can make the real difference we all want to see. This partnering with HAEMS will make an immediate impact to frontline services in the local community. But in the long term we are confident that our move to Montgomery County will allow us to develop and continue to produce the world class healthcare research that will improve standards of health.”

Contact:

Carl Whyte

+ 44 7841 970678

info@almacgroup.com

NOTES TO EDITOR:

About Almac Group:

The company has almost 2,200 employees and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

To find out more about Almac visit almacgroup.com

The post Almac Donate $50,000 to Harleysville Area Emergency Medical Services appeared first on Almac.

Governor Rendell and Sir Allen McClay break ground at site of new Almac North American headquarters

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:26:54 +0000

Lower Salford Township, PA 23rd July 2008 – Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today joined Sir Allen McClay, Chairman of Almac Group and Sam Kriebel, a local farmer and landowner who has lived in the area for many generations, to break ground on the site of Almac’s new North American Headquarters. Construction of the new 240,000 sq ft building on the 40acre site starts this month and is expected to be completed in 2010. In addition to the current 495 staff relocating, an extra 265 jobs will be created.

Initially two divisions, Almac Clinical Services and Almac Clinical Technologies, will be based in the building and plans are in place for expansion across other divisions at the site. Staff at the new headquarters will continue to work closely with staff at Almac’s other US facilities.

Governor Edward G. Rendell said: “Pennsylvania is proud to welcome Almac’s North American Headquarters, enhancing the commonwealth’s status as a leader in the biosciences industry.”

“Almac takes its place among the innovative companies and researchers calling Pennsylvania home, and will serve as magnet for even more talent and inspiration. We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship,” said Governor Rendell.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sir Allen McClay, Chairman of Almac Group said: “Today marks the start of a new era for Almac in North America and a new era for Lower Salford. Once completed, our new headquarters, which represents an investment of some $100m, will employ over 750 people across a variety of disciplines, with job numbers anticipated to grow significantly in the years ahead. Almac is committed to the ongoing development of its business in the United States and I am delighted that Lower Salford will play a central role in the future of the Group’s operations here.

“In the search for a new headquarters, the positive engagement and support from local and state authorities proved crucial as we reached our decision. I would like to thank all those who have worked with us on this project so far and I look forward to working with you all in the future. I am confident that the partnership we have built, between Pennsylvania and Almac, will continue to deliver for the company and for the community.

“I would also like to thank the Governor for joining us today and I am especially happy that Sam Kriebel, whose family have lived in the area for many generations, has also joined us.”

Ends

Contact:

Carl Whyte

+ 44 7841 970678

info@almacgroup.com

Notes to Editors

About Almac Group

The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, translational genomic services, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/Web/EDC), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The company has over 2,000 employees and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. For more information about the Almac Group, please visit almacgroup.com.

The post Governor Rendell and Sir Allen McClay break ground at site of new Almac North American headquarters appeared first on Almac.

Almac: more US connections

admin — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:59:55 +0000

Following the Almac Group’s recent announcement of its $100m investment in its new North American headquarters, the company will be hosting a press gathering at their Northern Ireland headquarters. As well as further news of the expansion in the US, each of the group’s five divisions, including Almac Sciences, will provide updates on their latest product and service developments.

Shortly after last October’s CPhI in Milan, Almac Group announced a US $100m investment to create its new North American headquarters facility in Lower Salford Township, southeast Pennsylvania. Opening in 2010, a new 240,000 sq. ft. office and production complex will replace current facilities in Audubon and Yardley, with almost 500 jobs transferring and up to 400 new positions being created in phases by 2013.

The facility is a clear demonstration of group’s commitment to the US pharma services marketplace after a decade of development and expansion, based in a number of facilities in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

Almac Sciences is one of the group’s five integrated divisions. Together, they provide a broad range of services from R&D, translational genomic services, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/EDC), to commercial-scale manufacture.

Almac Sciences’ main services include contract R&D, custom manufacturing and analytical services. The division operates in a number of niche areas and sees service connectivity as an increasingly important part of its business offering.

Almac Sciences’ niche specialisms include: potent manufacture at 100+ kg scale, cytotoxics at 10s kg scale, chiral products and technology, micronisation, custom synthesis of peptides including peptide cytotoxic conjugates – and cGMP and non-GMP 14C labelling of NCEs from small molecule chirals to long peptides.

Total supply chain

“We continue to meet our customers’ diverse and increasingly complex needs by combining Almac’s world class capabilities with complementary services of other leading industry players”,

says David Moody, VP Commercial Operations.

“That means a total supply chain approach to manufacturing, with high-flexibility from mgs. to tonnes, irrespective of complexity and regulatory status, and a very special approach to key customers and preferred supplier relationships,”

he added.

Almac Sciences’ “Supply Chain Solution” model offers many connections across a rich network of continually developing services, linking manufacturing chemistry, raw material management, tech transfer and supported manufacture to deliver “quality on time in full”.

As Business Development VP Dr. Rosaleen McGuckin defines it:

“The flexibility of Almac Group’s global manufacturing and service network underpins Sciences’

commitment to align production and services wherever and whenever the customer wishes.

“Our local Business Development Managers are chosen for their deep and wide technical knowledge, enabling them to identify and translate customer needs into solutions.”

In a recent example of its technology transfer and low cost manufacturing alliance model, Almac Sciences developed a process for the synthesis of a complex chiral molecule in the UK, prior to technology transfer to India for closely supported, low-cost manufacture.

Contact: Rosaleen McGuckin

T: + 44 (0)28 3833 2200

E: sciences@almacgroup.com

W: almacgroup.com

The post Almac: more US connections appeared first on Almac.

Almac to Build New US American Headquarters

admin — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:37:46 +0000

Almac is an organization providing integrated research, development and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical industry. The company is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with offices in the UK and the USA today announced a £50m investment in a new North American headquarters facility which will be based in southeast Pennsylvania. The move will create at least 262 new jobs within three years in the state and retain 495 existing positions. The new positions include software development and laboratory specialists.

Speaking at the announcement in Pennsylvania, Almac Chairman Sir Allen McClay thanked the Governor of the state for his support. Sir Allen said he was delighted that Pennsylvania is now a ‘major part’ of the continuing Almac success story.

“We are proud to announce the location of our new US facility here in Pennsylvania. Almac is a Northern Ireland company with our global headquarters in County Armagh. We have come a long way and Almac is now a global business, a global family, and our presence here today demonstrates that the economic relationship between our two countries is no longer a one way street and I am delighted that Almac is at the center of this important relationship.

“We have had operations in the states over the last decade and we have always been able to recruit excellent employees who have proven to be an important part of the Almac family. Our positive experience to date in Pennsylvania and especially the availability of a skilled and committed workforce was a major factor in this decision, as was the support we have received from the Governor and the state authorities.

“The future for Almac in the US, in Ireland and across the globe is very exciting and this new facility will underpin our presence and our quality service to our clients in the USA.”

Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell welcomed the move.

“Having a company like Almac choose Pennsylvania as the home of its North American headquarters confirms our status as a global leader in the biosciences,” Governor Rendell said. “We have some of the most dynamic companies and talented researchers working in Pennsylvania. Today’s announcement means even more of these dedicated people will be working here to improve the lives of people around the world.

“The aggressive incentives package we provided to the company supports its current headquarters project in Pennsylvania while ensuring its future expansion here. Our easy access to capital investment and our business-friendly tax structure helps businesses like Almac compete successfully in the global marketplace while also strengthening the commonwealth’s economy.”

Almac’s expansion project will be competed in several phases. Initially, the company will construct a 240,000-square-foot building in Lower Salford Township and combine its two Pennsylvania divisions located in Audubon, Montgomery County, and Yardley, Bucks County. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2008 with the facility expected to be fully operationally in 2010.

Almac worked with the Montgomery County IDC and local officials to secure a $9.03 million funding offer from the Department of Community and Economic Development, including: a $4.5 million grant through the Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement Program to be disbursed over 10 years; a $2 million Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority loan; a $1.25 million grant through the Infrastructure Development Program; a $400,000 Opportunity Grant; $100,000 in Customized Job Training funds; and $786,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits.

Almac worked closely with the Governor’s Action Team, which consists of economic development professionals who serve as a single point-of-contact for businesses considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

ENDS

Notes

Headquartered in Northern Ireland, Almac is a $750 million company provides its services to more than 600 companies worldwide, including all of the market leaders. It has five business divisions, two of which are located in southeast Pennsylvania. The company has 2,000 employees throughout the U.S. and Europe. European operations are headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland with additional operations in Edinburgh.

Almac Group provides a broad range of services across drug discovery, diagnostics, pharmaceutical research and development, manufacture of API, clinical trials and drug product manufacture.

For further information on this release contact:

Brendan Mulgrew / Jonathan King

Stakeholder Communications

T: 02890 339949 / 07767 393252

E: info@almacgroup.com

The post Almac to Build New US American Headquarters appeared first on Almac.

Almac Teams up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

admin — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 18:59:56 +0000

Almac Clinical Technologies announced today their partnership with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Almac and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) share a common commitment to the advancement of human health and hope to aid in finding a cure to leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.

Almac will be heavily involved in several major events organized by LLS. ‘Light the Night’ is one of many walks that attracts patients, survivors, families, friends, and those who want to be a part of finding a cure. Participants work to raise money in the months previous to this walk, and celebrate their efforts with a red and white lit balloon parade. In addition to Almac being a major sponsor of the event, Almac employees will be involved as volunteers and participants in the walk.

‘Team in Training’ is the world’s largest endurance training program and the Society’s signature fundraising campaign. Almac will be participating as a Gold Partner in the event and will also be sponsoring employees as they participate with the program to prepare for and ultimately complete a marathon, half marathon or triathlon.

As a leader in the clinical trial industry, Almac is committed to personal and financial involvement in efforts to advance the research and development that takes place withing the Society. Jim Murphy, President and Managing Director of Almac Clinical technologies commented on the partnership, “Almac is proud of it’s affiliation with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is very hopeful that we can help them in their efforts to find a cure.”

About LLS

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®, headquartered in White Plains, NY, with 68 chapters in the United States and Canada, is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The Society’s mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, the Society has invested more than $550 million in research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last year alone, the Society made 5.1 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

For more information about blood cancer, visit www.LLS.org or call the Society’s Information Resource Center (IRC), a call center staffed by master’s level social workers, nurses and health educators who provide information, support and resources to patients and their families and caregivers. IRC information specialists are available at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

About Almac

Almac Clinical Technologies is a division of Almac that specializes in interactive technology and service solutions to increase the quality and efficiency of the clinical trial process. Our solutions include Interactive Voice and Web Response Systems (IXRS™) for patient randomization, tracking and clinical supply management, iTrial EDC for electronic case report form data collection, electronic patient reported outcome data collection, and web drug reconciliation.

The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, diagnostic/genomic services, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/EDC), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to over 600 companies including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The company is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.

Contact: Meghan Adams US: 267-685-4284 / clinicaltechnologies@almacgroup.com

Website: almacgroup.com

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Northern Ireland First Minister Commends Almac as a World Class Pharmaceutical Organisation

admin — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:42:23 +0000

The Northern Ireland First Minister (Rt Hon. Dr Ian Paisley MP MLA) today praised the world class standard of research and development at the Almac Group.

The First Minister today visited the headquarters of Almac, in Craigavon, Co. Armagh. This was Dr Paisley’s first visit to the company, which employs 2000 people across facilities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the United States.

The company’s five divisions work with over six hundred companies from across the world, including all the global leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. Almac provides a broad range of services including drug discovery, diagnostics, pharmaceutical research and development, clinical trials and drug product manufacture.

Dr Paisley said: “It is encouraging to see such home grown expertise being used to design and produce medical and healthcare treatments which are cutting edge and being used right across the worldglobe. The world class standard of research and development taking place here in Northern Ireland is to be commended, and is a clear indication that despite many obstacles, our education system and work ethic mean that the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation is alive and well.”

“All of us in the Executive and Assembly will work to build an environment where more success stories like Almac can develop and flourish.”

Dr Paisley met with Almac Group Chairman Sir Allen McClay as well as executives from each of the company’s business units. This included Professors Tim Harrison, Paul Harkin and Dr Richard Kennedy, all of whom are leaders in our research and development programmes including our internationally renowned work on cancer diagnostics. They provided Dr Paisley with a full briefing on the division’s work.

Paying personal tribute to Sir Allen McClay, founder of Almac, Dr Paisley stated that he “sets an example to all of us of how success is within the reach of every person in Northern Ireland.”

Chairman of the Almac Group, Sir Allen McClay said: “We are honoured to have the First Minister here today at Almac Headquarters. Innovation is at the center of all our work as we continue to advance the development of future medicines here in Craigavon. The company now has a distinct international flavor; 29 nationalities make up the Almac family, and we still retain our Northern Ireland identity.”

Notes To Editors

For further information, please contact OFMDFM Press Office on 02890 521905.

E: info@almacgroup.com

almacgroup.com

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Top of the Class for Almac Fundraisers

admin — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 22:22:36 +0000

Staff from Almac recently got together for a fundraising hockey match to raise money for Hemihelp, a UK based charity that provides information, advice and support to children and young people suffering from hemiplegia.

Employees from the Pharma Services division played a St Trinian’s themed hockey game and were joined by members of the Portadown Ladies Hockey Club. The evening ended with a light Barbeque, and the event raised well over £1,000 for the charity.

Almac employee Lindsay O’Connor, who has been involved with Hemihelp in Northern Ireland, said: “The money raised through our fundraising has helped raise the profile of the Northern Ireland support group. Specifically, this money will be used to fund a music workshop for children in the region who suffer from hemiplegia.”

“Hemihelp is also planning a wider programme of events for Ireland in 2008, including a Children’s Fun Day, Parent’s conference and a Professional’s conference. I would also like to thank the company, and all those involved in our recent fundraising efforts,” she added.

Ends

Contact:

T: +44(0)28 3833 2200

E: info@almacgroup.com

Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

02890 339949/ 07841 970678

Notes for Editors

Hemiplegia is a form of cerebral palsy which causes weakness on one side of the body, similar to the effects of stroke. It affects children from early infancy and its causes are unknown.

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Sir Allen Interview Features in Belfast Telegraph’s “The Monday Interview”

admin — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 22:36:11 +0000

So what makes this top Ulster tycoon tick?

Sir Allen McClay is the driving force behind a company that is undertaking some of the most advanced medical research in the world. Here he talks about the global battle against cancer, why he cut ties with Galen Pharmaceuticals, and Almac the firm he founded.

Big business is often accused of having little or no compassion and an obsession with making money. But a desire to look after the “family” was the key factor behind the creation of an Ulster company now playing a major role in the global battle against cancer.

The philanthropic Sir Allen McClay, who was knighted for his services to business and charity, felt he had a “bounden duty” to set up Craigavon-based Almac Group, which is undertaking some of the most advanced medical research on the planet.

At the start of the millennium, Galen, the pharmaceutical company he founded in 1968 that became the first Ulster business valued at £1bn, was taking a direction he did not agree with.

It bought US rival Warner Chilcott in 2000 and focused its attention firmly on expanding in the US.

Sir Allen decided it was time to step down from the company in 2001. Then approaching his 70th birthday, he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do, but retirement was never an option – despite Sir Allen pocketing tens of millions of pounds from selling Galen shares.

“I could have bought a big yacht, but I hate boats. I could have gone off to an island in the sun, but I hate the sun,” he said.

He talks candidly about why he cut his ties with Galen.

“I had developed Galen and I did not agree with what they were doing.

“The people I had worked with had been my family since 1968, and now they were being scattered to the four winds.

“It would have been hard to turn my back on them. I would have had a guilt complex.”

Sir Allen, who has never married but has a long-term partner, admits the main motivating factor to set up in business again was that he wanted to support all those “high calibre” people he had worked with down the years. “I had a bounden duty to do it,” he said.

He started Galen on October 1, 1968 and left on September 30, 2001. On October 1, 2001 he rented a small unit at Seagoe Industrial Estate, just a short distance from where he had started Galen (now known as Warner Chilcott) all those years before.

Sir Allen instinctively knew he wanted to continue working in the world of science and his ideas for a new company quickly started to form as some office furniture was added to the start interior of the empty unit.

Almac began life in January 2002. With Galen largely focusing on women’s healthcare and manufacturing drugs, Sir Allen offered to purchase its services units. He eventually paid circa £240m for four units, selling his holding in Galen along the way.

He initially spent £25m on Chemical Synthesis Services, Galen’s research and services arm, at the start of 2002 and that got Almac up and running. The other units followed.

Almac has been making great strides since it launched – and many of the people he worked with in Galen are now employees of the group.

Almac provides integrated research, development and manufacturing services to over 600 companies worldwide, including market leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. The company, which also has its own product lines, employing 1,300 people in Craigavon, 800 in the US and 50 in Scotland.

It has five divisions – covering diagnostics, sciences, clinical services, clinical technologies and pharma services – and it has depots across the world “In every country you can think of”.

Sir Allen is particularly excited these days about Almac’s cancer diagnostic work, which, ultimately saves lives.

The company, for example, has developed a test whereby not all colon and bowel cancer sufferers will have to undergo chemotherapy treatment once the surgeon has removed a tumour.

“Colon/bowel cancer recurs in only about 20% of cases, and our test can detect these cases. At present all cases would be given aggressive follow-up treatment.

“It means 80% of patients would not have to have follow-up treatment. This will cut down the trauma and anxiety for these patients”.

The company is in the midst of adapting the test for other cancers, including breast, lung and prostate. This companion diagnosis, or personalised medicine, is a giant step forward, according to Sir Allen.

“It means treatment can be tailored to patients’ needs. It will mean fewer people having to go back every four weeks for further treatment. It will reduce waiting lists and cut down on aggressive therapies.”

It also means the cash-strapped NHS can use the money it saves on treating other conditions.

The company is constantly researching new cancer treatments. Sir Allen does not believe cancer will be eradicated completely but he can see cancer being “less hideous” in years to come.

Another striking example of its work is a link-up with Glasgow University to develop what has been dubbed the “magic bullet”; treatments that will go directly to an infected area on a patient’s body rather than pass through the whole bloodstream.

Such pioneering work is par for the course at Almac, which is also currently carrying out world leading research into proteins at its impressive HQ building at Seagoe Industrial Estate, purpose-built just down the road from the initial unit. It opened in 2003.

There are plans for further expansion in the US – it already has operations in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California – but Sir Allen insisted he has no intention of switching the company’s base out of Northern Ireland to the States as Warner Chilcott has done.

He stressed the “brains and heart” of Almac will remain in Craigavon.

So far over £300m, including a healthy chunk of Sir Allen’s estimated £350m personal fortune, has been invested in Almac, which has attracted people from all over the world; the scientists at Almac HQ come from 29 different countries.

“There are miles of things to be discovered and people are attracted by the science. Scientists want to be involved in science. That’s why they work for us,” he said. “We are very innovative. We do things other people do not do. We have lots of ideas people. In fact we have too many ideas and have the cherry pick.”

The Group, which employs no fewer than five professors, has close links with Belfast City Hospital’s cancer unit as well as Queen’s University in Belfast and other top universities around the world. The Tyrone tycoon, who has homes in his native Cookstown and Portadown, has personally donated £20m through the McClay Trust for research at Queen’s.

The manufacturing end of the pharma industry is becoming diluted, according to Sir Allen, with low cost economies providing cheap manufacturing options, which means that it is imperative for Northern Ireland to focus on innovation and knowledge.

The 75-year-old has no plans to retire, although he admits he will not be at Almac in five years’ time. “The science is getting beyond me,” he said.

When he hits 80 he plans to still be working. “There are other areas I would like to investigate. I hate going down well-worn paths. I would like to blaze a new trial,” he added, and you sense he will do just that.

Note to Editors:

E: info@almacgroup.com

W: almacgroup.com

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Almac Group Highly Commended at NI Workplace and Employment Awards

admin — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:31:09 +0000

Pharma company sees off stiff competition in ‘Best Place to Work’ category

Almac, the international Pharmaceutical and Biotech company headquartered in Craigavon, Co. Armagh, was last night highly commended in the Best Place to Work category at the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards.

With stiff competition among the finalists, which included many of Northern Ireland’s best known firms, Almac was awarded the commendation in recognition of the company’s commitment to developing a world class workplace.

Speaking at the ceremony in Belfast, Almac CEO Alan Armstrong said: “Tonight’s commendation recognises our continued efforts to ensure that our workplace stands out from the rest, and attracts the brightest and best from Northern Ireland and further afield.”

“Our strength and ability to deliver world-class health care solutions relies solely on our people, and the development of a workplace environment which fosters innovation, ingenuity and encourages all to reach their full potential,” he added.

Ends

Contact:

info@almacgroup.com

T: +44(0)28 3833 2200

Carl Whyte

Stakeholder Communications

07841 970678

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`Increase Role of Science in Schools’ says Almac Chairman

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:33:14 +0000

Sir Allen McClay calls for strong emphasis on science education in schools

Almac Chairman Sir Allen McClay has today called on the new devolved Executive to ensure increased emphasis on science education in the primary and secondary curriculum. Speaking during a visit of Chemistry and Career teachers from Northern Ireland secondary and grammar schools, Sir Allen said:

“While the political events of the last few weeks and months are to be welcomed, Northern Ireland still faces significant challenges ahead. Our economy must compete with the rest of the world, and it is only through entrepreneurship that we can do this. Today’s school scientists are tomorrow’s innovators and only they can ensure our competitiveness on the international stage.”

“It is important the new Executive ensures that science based subjects play an increased role in secondary and grammar schools. Our universities rely on a steady stream of bright and able undergraduates. If we are to keep our best here in Northern Ireland, schools should be encouraged to provide an inspired and comprehensive science education” he added.

Heads of Chemistry and Careers from over thirty schools were invited to visit Almac Group’s headquarters in Craigavon for a “science awareness day”. Teachers were briefed on each of the company’s five divisions and the job opportunities available at the company for science graduates. Representatives from Invest Northern Ireland were also in attendance, and informed teachers on their work with science based firms across Northern Ireland.

info@almacgroup.com

T: +44(0)28 38 332200

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Sir Allen McClay: “Almac Leading The Way In Global Pharmaceutical Development”

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 22:26:18 +0000

Almac Chairman addresses major business conference in Dublin

Almac Chairman Sir Allen McClay was the keynote speaker at the annual ‘Equity Conference’ hosted by InterTradeIreland which took place in Dublin earlier this week. Sir Allen told the conference that the success of Almac is built on the quality of its staff, and he urged Government’s to work with entrepreneurs to develop more successful enterprises.

Addressing delegates which included some of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurial figures as well as Government officials Sir Allen said:

“The economic future of Ireland, north and south, must be rooted in the knowledge based economy. We have the people to drive forward good businesses, we have shown that our universities can match any in the world in terms of research, development and innovation and Government is beginning to facilitate the convergence of the indigenous talent which exists throughout the island. All of us in business, academia and politics must work together to harness the natural talent which exists on the island of Ireland.”

“People now come to Ireland in search of work and career enhancement opportunities. At Almac we employ people from more than 29 different countries, all of whom have come to Craigavon to work because Almac provides them with the environment and the tools to develop and use their talents. I am very proud of what has been achieved and at Almac and we are now a world leader in the provision of integrated research, development and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

“Our success is the exemplar to other companies, new and existing, large and small. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has the best natural resources in the world, high quality people and that is the cornerstone of our success.”

T: +44(0)28 3833 2200

info@almacgroup.com

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Almac Sciences Feature in “What Job Do You Do?”

admin — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:33:36 +0000

Belfast Telegraph Jobfinder 09 March 2007

Northern Ireland’s biggest and Ireland’s fastest growing recruitment paper feature Almac.

sciences@almacgroup.com

+44(0)28 3833 2200

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Almac visit QUB to brief Pharmacists

admin — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 22:28:57 +0000

NI’s top Pharma Company gives tips on careers in the industry

A delegation from the Almac Group today visited Queen’s University’s School of Pharmacy to give students a full insight into careers in the Pharmaceutical and Biotech sectors.

The delegation, which included staff from across the Almac Group, were on hand to provide full details on the different careers available at Almac for pharmacists, as well as a full overview of the company. The delegation also discussed various types of careers available in the Pharmaceutical and Biotech sectors.

The delegation included Kerry Kennedy – Market Development Co-ordinator, Almac Group, Michelle Foust – Director of New Product Development, Clinical Services (North Carolina), Colin Lorimar – Senior Formulation Development Scientist, Pharma Services and Brian Lavery – Senior Regulatory Affairs Scientist, Almac Group.

Alan Armstrong, CEO Almac Group said: “Almac is committed to working with both the second and third level education sectors to ensure that students develop and maintain an interest in science, and are also fully briefed on the wide range of careers available in the sector.”

“For a company like Almac, it is vitally important that we have a world class third level institution on our doorstep, which will provide the ideas and scientists for the future, keeping Almac and Northern Ireland competitive on the world stage,” he added.

Sir Allen McClay, Chairman, Almac Group, added: “We need top level science graduates for the future so that we can maintain our competitiveness. The importance of proper science education both at school and at University cannot be overestimated, and it is important that the government ensures that science education is well funded both at second and third level.”

info@almacgroup.com

+44(0)28 3833 2200

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Almac Recruits Additional 250 Employees in NI in 2006

admin — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:39:27 +0000

The Almac Group, headquartered in Craigavon with extensive facilities in the UK and US, this month recruited its 250th employee in Northern Ireland in 2006. Eighteen new staff began an induction process at the company’s headquarters this month. This is the highest number of new employees to be recruited in a single year since the company was founded in 2002. Almac now employs almost 2000 people globally.

Almac’s European Head of Human Resources Sue Bill welcomed the new recruits, which include 15 graduates from Northern Ireland. The new staff members are employed across the five divisions of Almac.

Sue Bill outlined the company’s recruitment activity throughout this past year;

“Each month we have an induction process for incoming staff. The highest monthly recruitment figure was for November when 41 people joined the Almac family. Most of our new recruits are graduates and they represent a mix of local people and those who come from overseas. They are spread across the five divisions of the company. We are proud of the track record we have in attracting high quality employees to the company. That is what drives the success of Almac.

“Our people are delivering leading edge pharmaceutical developments and we have strategic alliances forged with a majority of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, it is clear we are making a significant contribution to the local economy and this is important to us also.

“We have seen a significant increase in our employee numbers this year, and as we approach 2007 it shows no sign of slowing down.”

Almac Chairman Sir Allen McClay welcomed the new recruits to Almac and said:

“Earlier this year we consolidated the various services offered by the company under one group name, Almac. Our customers and the market received that development very positively and the steady increase in our employee numbers shows that Almac has gone from strength to strength over the past year.”

NOTE:

Almac now employs 1935 across the group.

The breakdown is: 1163 in NI, 156 in UK & Ireland and 616 in US.

info@almacgroup.com

+44(0)28 3833 2200

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Almac Scoops Top UK Training Award

admin — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:47:42 +0000

Almac Clinical Services has scooped a UK National Training Award. The prestigious ceremony, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, recognises UK firms engaging in top quality training and development for staff. This award followed the two awards which Almac won at the regional ceremony held in Northern Ireland in November.

Zoe Young, Almac Clinical Services Learning and Development Officer was in London to accept the award. Zoe said: “I am honoured to accept this award on behalf of all those at Almac. The development of our staff is of prime importance, and this national award recognises Almac’s commitment to its employees.”

Almac Clinical Services received the award for the implementation of a unique training programme which was designed to include a broad spectrum of learning and development skills, including communication, management as well as specific technical, business and IT applications.

“The benefits have included record turnover in the past year. Almac Clinical Services gained 48 new customers in 2005 and a further 60 in 2006. In addition during 2006, one in three new posts have been filled via internal promotion and transfer. This is a strong indication of the success of our investment and staff development through this training programme,” said Zoe.

Sir Allen McClay, Chairman of Almac said: “On behalf of the Almac family, I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate Zoe and all at Clinical Services on this award. This UK wide recognition is testament to Almac’s commitment to the development of our staff, which is of the utmost importance to our company.”

clinicalservices@almacgroup.com

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Almac Hosts Science Development Day for Colleges

admin — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 22:41:46 +0000

Almac Group opened its doors yesterday to staff from Further Education Colleges across Northern Ireland to host a Science Development Day. The event was held in conjunction with the Learning and Skills Development Agency NI (LSDA NI) and the Sector Skills Council for Science, SEMTA. The event follows a recent LSDA NI initiative which aims to align the work of the FE colleges with the needs of the science industry in Northern Ireland.

Visitors from the colleges were briefed on work currently taking place at each of Almac’s five divisions and were given a tour of the company’s cutting edge research and development facilities. Almac’s range of services means that it employs graduates from right across the science spectrum.

Altogether, 17 staff from 11 colleges visited the site. These included North Down Institute, Lisburn Institute, Belfast Institute, Newry Institute, North East Institute, East Antrim Institute, the University of Ulster, North West Institute, Castlereagh Institute, East Down Institute and Upper Bann Institute.

Sir Allen McClay, Chairman, Almac Group, said “At Almac we place tremendous importance on the development and training of our staff. It is important that those in the education sector are aware of the work we do, but more importantly, what skills we require. We are happy to inform and involve those from the Further Education sector, and are delighted to host them today.”

Maggie Robinson, Development Advisor with LSDA NI said “We are very grateful to Almac for providing this opportunity for colleges to engage directly with industry and see, first hand, the work of this progressive company. This brings lecturers up to date and will have a positive impact on teaching and learning.”

info@almacgroup.com

+44(0)28 3833 2200

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Almac Staff Raise Funds For Northern Ireland Charities

admin — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 22:43:21 +0000

Staff at Almac today handed over £10,000 to representatives of local charities following recent exciting fundraising efforts.

The four winners of the recent Hillsborough Oyster Festival Soap Box race were on hand to present a cheque for £7000 to Linda Alexander and Tom Mallon from the Northern Ireland Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Damian Cooper, Andrew McKinney, Niall Jackson and Mark Armstrong along with the team of engineers designed and constructed the Almac capsule which swept to victory at the annual festival race on 2nd of September. The team also won prizes for best built soapbox and best turned out team and raised £7000 through sponsorship.

Damian Cooper, Captain of the soap box team said “After using our engineering expertise to build the soapbox, and having so much fun on the day of the race, we are proud to be able to hand over this cheque today. We hope our donation goes some small way to helping the Cystic Fibrosis Trust carry out its valuable work.”

Staff also handed over a cheque for £1,450 to the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke Association and another cheque for the same amount to the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

Elaine Gibson and Heather Stevenson led the efforts to raise the cash for these two charities at the annual Almac ball attended by 900 employees held in a marquee at the site.

“The annual Almac ball is the social highlight of the year for the Almac family. The generosity of our staff on the evening enables us to donate to both these charities and we are very pleased to do so,” said Elaine.

info@almacgroup.com

+44(0)28 3833 2200

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Pharma Companies Combine Under Almac Banner

admin — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 22:45:14 +0000

‘CONSOLIDATION CONFIRMS ALMAC AS WORLD LEADER IN PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR’

Almac has announced the re-branding of its five business divisions under one brand name. As the company consolidates its position as a world leader in the provision of integrated research, development and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, Chairman Sir Allen McClay discussed the rationale behind the re-branding:

“Since its establishment in 2001 Almac has grown rapidly into a $600million company which employs almost 2,000 people offering a full range of pharmaceutical services to Pharma, biotech and virtual organisations. We work in the fields of drug discovery, research and development, patient diagnostics, clinical trials for new drugs, formulation and packaging of drugs and the commercialisation of pharmaceutical product. These services have grown to the point where we now offer an unparalleled range of pharmaceutical services on a global scale.”

“The consolidation of our services under the Almac brand will enable us to go to the market with a single identity and a range of capabilities which will meet any requirement our clients have within our areas of expertise. The re-branding of our various divisions will also aid in the international marketing of Almac and truly sets our company apart in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. I believe that no other single business can offer such a seamless, fast and efficient route from drug discovery through to market.”

Almac now comprises five closely integrated divisions, Almac Sciences (formerly CSS), Almac Clinical Services (formerly CTS), Almac Clinical Technologies (formerly ICTI), Almac Pharma Services (formerly PDMS) and Almac Diagnostic Services. The company is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. In Europe, as well as Craigavon, operations are also located in London and Edinburgh.

Almac Chairman, Sir Allen McClay, established the Almac business in 2001 with the purchase of CSS, CTS, ICTI and PDMS from Galen Holdings Plc, while Almac Diagnostic Services was formed in 2003.

Sir Allen adds: “Each division of Almac is made up of people who are highly skilled and represent the best talent available in their respective areas of expertise. By bringing these resources together in a more structured way, Almac is ensuring that the collective skills and expertise which exist across the five divisions will further enhance our position as a world leader in the provision of services to more than 600 companies including all of the pre-eminent, household names in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development sectors.

“Whilst the strength of the company is based on the integration of its combined services, customers may also select individual services specific to their own requirements.”

Our vision:

‘Almac will be the leader in the generation of superior solutions for the advancement of human health.’

NOTES

Almac Sciences (formerly CSS) provides innovative chemistry solutions and products supporting drug discovery, development and commercialisation.

Almac Clinical Services (formerly CTS) provides a global service for managing the manufacture, packaging, labelling, release, distribution, return and analysis of clinical trial supplies. Almac Clinical Services is located in Northern Ireland and both Pennsylvania and North Carolina in the US.

Almac Clinical Technologies (formerly ICTI) specialises in the use of integrated technology and project management solutions (IVRS, Web, EDC / eDiary) to accelerate clinical trials, increase data quality and reduce trial costs. Almac Clinical Technologies solutions are at work in more than 80 countries.

Almac Pharma Services (formerly PDMS) provides formulation development through to commercial scale manufacturing services, QP release and distribution of finished product.

Almac Diagnostic Services, formerly known as ArraDx, develops, markets and supplies leading edge genomic expression services and novel diagnostic products, including its proprietary Disease Specific Arrays (DSA’s), aimed at radically improving the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Almac Diagnostic Services works closely with The Center for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen’s University Belfast.

Almac’s services and facilities are licensed globally in accordance with international regulatory and quality standards including the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, (MHRA) and the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

info@almacgroup.com

+44(0)28 3833 2200

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Health Minister Visits Almac Sciences Facility

admin — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 22:47:23 +0000

Health Minister Shaun Woodward today visited the ALMAC Sciences Facility on Monday 27th March.

Mr Woodward praised the work of staff at the facility and said “I have seen at first hand today the exciting and potentially leading edge work being done in relation to cancers of the breast, lung, colon and prostate.

“It is worth bearing in mind that amongst all this state of the art technology, the work being done has the potential to provide better diagnoses, better treatment of cancer and ultimately save lives”

Welcoming Health Minister Shaun Woodward to the Almac site, Chairman Sir Allen McClay said “I am pleased to welcome the Health Minister to our premises here at Craigavon. Not many people know that work taking place here in Northern Ireland is at the leading edge of global cancer research. The Minister has been able to see at first hand the role played by Almac and Northern Ireland in cancer research.”

info@almacgroup.com

+44(0)28 3833 2200

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Almac Helps Governor Take Temperature Of NI Economy

admin — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 22:49:07 +0000

GOVERNOR OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND, MERVYN KING, STARTS TWO DAY NI ECONOMIC TOUR WITH ALMAC SITE VISIT

The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, has begun a two day visit to Northern Ireland with a tour of Almac Sciences’ state-of-the-art facility in Craigavon. Almac – a global leader in the research, discovery and delivery of pharmaceutical services – was the first stop for the Governor who is in Northern Ireland to gauge the performance of the region’s economy.

Welcoming Mr King to Almac and to Northern Ireland, Chairman and Founder of Almac Sciences, Sir Allen McClay said: “I am delighted that the Governor has chosen to start his tour of Northern Ireland with a visit to Almac Sciences.

” I believe Almac offers a real example of Northern Ireland business at its best. We have used home-grown skill, home-grown talent, and home-grown determination to build a world class pharmaceutical services business, all driven from this Northern Ireland base.

“Our ambition is to become world leader in our field; an ambition that many other businesses in Northern Ireland also share. I hope the Governor and his team return to London with a fresh view of Northern Ireland as an economy keen to grow, able to perform and determined to succeed.”

Commenting on his visit to Northern Ireland the Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King added: “Every month I visit a different part of the UK in order to gauge economic conditions and to help to explain the work and aims of the Monetary Policy Committee. This visit to Northern Ireland is on top of other visits my fellow MPC members will make to the Province during the year and the permanent presence we have in the form of our Agency which has the task of gathering information from businesses to feed back to the MPC on a monthly basis. ”

Founded in Northern Ireland and headquartered in Craigavon, Almac Sciences employs almost 1,800 people across Northern Ireland, Europe and the United States. Almac has built and maintained partnerships with the majority of the world’s leading pharmaceutical & biotech companies, offering services ranging from drug discovery, research and development through to clinical trials and the delivery of finished drug products.

info@almacgroup.com

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World Renown Cancer Specialists Visit Almac Sciences

admin — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 22:52:13 +0000

Almac Diagnostic Services Ltd, a leading cancer diagnostics company responsible for the development of the next generation cancer products today hosted distinguished guest lectures and workshops involving the world’s foremost cancer specialists.

Chairman of Almac Sciences, Sir Allen McClay welcomed the visiting delegation to the Craigavon headquarters of the Almac Group where the visiting cancer specialists had the opportunity to see the exciting work taking place in Almac Diagnostic Services.

Sir Allen McClay commented:

“It is an honour for Northern Ireland to host such a senior group of specialists in the cancer field from across the globe. This visit is very significant and indeed it is appropriate that the team is in Northern Ireland where some very exciting work is going on in the development of cancer treatments. The recently opened Cancer Center at the City Hospital, the work of Professor Paddy Johnston and others and the research work going on here at Almac Diagnostic Services, rank as key milestones in the development of cancer treatments.

“Not many people know that work taking place here in Craigavon is at the leading edge of global cancer research; Professor Lui and his colleagues – all of whom are well known to Almac – can now see at first hand the role played by Almac and Northern Ireland in cancer research.”

info@almacgroup.com

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Sir Allen McClay Opens New £1.25 million Laboratory of Biology Chemistry at Queens

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 22:53:34 +0000

Sir Allen McClay CBE, Chairman and founder of Almac Sciences, will today (Monday),

officially open a new £1.25 million Laboratory of Biological Chemistry at Queen’s.

The opening of the new laboratory, which has been specifically designed to cater for the rapidly developing research activities at the interface between Chemistry and Biology, will mark the end of a major building programme within the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, which began in 1999.

Originating from a report commissioned by Queen’s on the future development of its School of Chemistry in 1997, the programme of building work was carried out in parallel with the appointment of 11 new academic posts within the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Six of those posts were funded by the McClay Trust, with the Trust also providing funding for equipment and postgraduate studentships.

Speaking about the completion of the building plan and the appointment of the new academic posts, Professor John Mann, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at Queen’s said: “Today provides us with a suitable opportunity to publicly thank Sir Allen for his past generosity, from which the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Queen’s has benefited enormously.

“The University developed a vision for the School of Chemistry, in which it was imperative to not only have on board a full team of leading academic staff, but also, perhaps crucially, to create an environment in which its students would be able to undertake their studies and perform their valuable research within some of the best facilities within the UK.

“Work carried out within the lab we are opening today may, in the future, contribute to the development of new treatments. The work carried out by The Synthesis and Biological Chemistry Group (Syn BioC) is one such example. Its overall aim is to understand the mechanisms by which cells communicate both internally and between one another. This should lead to a greater understanding of what is known as cell signalling and so allow for the design and synthesis of novel molecules which can moderate these signalling activities.

“We look forward to seeing the efforts of our students in their new laboratory, making a positive and very real difference to how we will all live our lives in the future”.

The opening of the new laboratory will cap a morning of lectures sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry, at which Professor Mann will deliver the Flintoff medal lecture. The lecture is a prestigious honour given for meritorious contributions to the knowledge of the relationship between chemistry and plant science. Previous recipients have included Sir Robert Robertson and Melvin Calvin, the scientist who worked out the chemistry of photosynthesis in 1954.

Also speaking at the RSC event will be Professor Kevin Booker-Milburn, Professor of Organic Chemistry at Bristol and Professor Steven Ley FRS, Chair of Organic Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. Steven Ley, FRS, who will be delivering the prestigious Robert Robinson Lecture was one of the original team who delivered the 1997 report on the School of Chemistry at Queen’s.

info@almacgroup.com

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Dr Allen McClay, CBE Receives Knighthood in New Year’s Honours List

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 22:55:36 +0000

ALMAC’S SHINING KNIGHT

Dr Allen McClay CBE, Chairman and founder of Almac Sciences, has been knighted in recognition of his services to both business and charity. Sir Allen’s knighthood was the only one for Northern Ireland conferred in the New Year’s Honours list.

Sir Allen was the founder of Galen Ltd, which became Galen Holdings Plc, initially a pharmaceutical and services based organisation, Galen Holdings subsequently emerged as a speciality pharmaceutical company concentrating almost exclusively on the US market.

Sir Allen retired from Galen Holdings in 2001 and personally invested approximately £240 million to buy the four service-based businesses from Galen (CSS, CTS, ICTI and PDMS) and incorporated Almac Diagnostic Services to establish Almac Sciences, an organisation specialising in R & D, diagnostics, API manufacture, formulation development, all phases of clinical trials and the manufacture of finished product.

The Almac Sciences group has grown rapidly. Following additional investment of a further £50 million, by Sir Allen, it now employs almost 1,700 highly trained and skilled staff throughout Europe and America.

Separately from his commercial investments, Sir Allen has personally donated almost £20 million through the McClay Trust for research at Queen’s University Belfast. To date, the Trust has funded the £3.5 million McClay Research Center alongside the School of Pharmacy. A further £6 million has been donated for research in both the School of Pharmacy and the School of Chemistry with the remainder being committed to the funding of a new library at Queen’s University.

For further information please contact:

Philip Diamond Almac Sciences 028 38332200

info@almacgroup.com

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Almac Sciences acquire PDMS

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2003 18:11:15 +0000

On 2 December 2003 a Management Buyout of the PDMS Division of Galen Holdings Plc was concluded. As you are probably aware the declared Galen policy since the purchase of Warner Chilcott has been the disposal of its service business so that it can become a pure pharma company.

Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Services or PDMS as it is more commonly known is primarily focused on providing a broad range of specialist services for the pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotechnology industries. These services include drug product formulation, process development, analytical method development and validation, pack design, commercial-scale manufacture, inventory management and distribution.

PDMS was purchased by a new company called Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Services Limited, a company under the control of Dr. Allen McClay, the founder and former President and Director of Galen. PDMS was sold for a total cash consideration of £20 million ($34 million).

PDMS, based in Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, employs approximately 300 people and as part of the purchase agreement PDMS has entered into a supply agreement with Galen’s UK product business to continue to manufacture, supply and distribute a number of products for the UK and Irish markets.

To date CTS, CSS and ICTI have been purchased and provide a wide range of services to pharmaceutical, biotech and virtual companies.

It is intended that PDMS will further increase the comprehensive services available to customers. As the Almac Group becomes integrated in the future and the facilities and services are enhanced it will be equally important to grow and strengthen the management team so that a high quality service will be delivered to all our customers.

pharmaservices@almacgroup.com

T: +44(0)28 3836 3363

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General Archives - Almac

Almac Group delivers record year of growth

Winter Storm impacting North America: Almac Group Update

Almac Group releases 2025 Sustainability Report

Almac Group Launches “Farm to Fork Project” in Souderton Area Schools

Almac Group launches collaboration with Young Enterprise

Almac Group Expands US Analytical Capacity with New Stability Chambers in Souderton, PA

Almac Group North Carolina – 25th Anniversary Celebrations

Almac completes a multi-million-pound Investment Enhancing Cold Chain Capabilities in Craigavon

Almac Group announces validated near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)

Almac Group surpasses £1 billion revenue with latest Annual Accounts reporting record revenues, profit and employee numbers

Almac Discovery and Formosa Pharmaceuticals announce global licensing agreement for development and commercialisation of ALM-401, a first-in-class EGFRxROR1 Bispecific Antibody-Drug Conjugate

Almac Pharma Services expands with exciting career opportunities

Almac invests £500,000 in state-of-the-art instrumentation within spectroscopy laboratories

Almac Group releases 2024 Sustainability Report

Almac announces key partnership with Future Medicines Institute

Almac chemist recognised as “Future Leader” at CPHI Celebration Awards 2024

Almac Group announces £11m investment to expand global analytical services

Expert Analytical Solutions

Almac Pharma Services Appoints New VP Finance

Arran Chemical Company celebrates 40 successful years in business

Almac Announces Investment in Singapore to Enhance Cold Chain Facility for Global Pharmaceutical Sponsors and Patients

Almac Pharma Services Announces Successful FDA Inspection at Charnwood, UK Facilities

Almac Group’s power purchase agreement for renewable energy goes live

Almac Pharma Services Appoints New VP of Business Development

Almac Discovery nominates ALM-401 as a First in Class Bispecific Next Generation ADC targeting EGFR/ROR1 to progress into pre-clinical development

Almac Group announces record revenue figure resulting from another year of growth

Almac Pharma Services Supports Industry Consortium to Address Titanium Dioxide Alternative Challenge

Almac Group partners with Reach Out and Read at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to distribute 6,000 books at CHOP Primary Care, Souderton

Amicus Therapeutics Inc and Almac Pharma Services Mark 15-year Strategic Partnership with Patient Advocacy Event

Almac Clinical Services celebrates Grace Science, LLC in dosing first NGLY1 deficient patient with their innovative gene therapy

Almac Group announces support of ESG category at this year’s Belfast Telegraph Business Awards

Almac Group Expands Commercial Manufacturing and Packaging as well as Peptide Production Capacity

Almac Group signs virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for renewable energy – reducing their global scope 2 emissions by 46%

Almac Launches Manufacturing and Development Recruitment Drive

Almac Group awards over $120,000 in higher education funding to two undergraduate students

Almac Discovery and Queen’s University launch state-of-the-art Chemoproteomics facility in Belfast

Almac Pharma Services Receives Brazilian ANVISA GMP Certification for US Facility

Almac Group releases 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Almac Group releases details of £80 million expansion in Northern Ireland

Almac selected as finalist for KTP “Best of the Best” awards

Almac Group grows by 150, exceeding 500 total headcount in Durham

Almac Group marks groundbreaking of $65 million facility expansion in Montgomery County

Almac Group opens a new custom-built GMP warehouse at its Global Headquarters

Almac Group signs up to Science Based Targets initiative

Latest announcement underscores company’s commitment to be net zero by 2045

Almac Group reaches a global workforce of 7,000 as it marks most successful financial year ever

Almac Group joins Employers for Carers to further support working carers

Almac Group Hosts Recruitment Open Day in the North West as 20 new jobs are announced

Almac Appoints Global Energy Manager as part of ongoing commitment to net zero strategy

Almac Group Enters Strategic Partnership with North Carolina A&T University’s Deese College of Business & Economics

Almac Group says goodbye to Colin Hayburn

Almac Group Employees Raise £50,000 for Two Local Children’s Charities

Agios Pharmaceuticals Celebrates PYRUKYND® Launch Success with Almac Group

First Disease-Modifying Therapy for Hemolytic Anemia in Adults with Pyruvate Kinase (PK) Deficiency

Almac Pharma Services Audubon site receives first product approval by MHRA and Health Canada

Almac announces commitment to be net zero by 2045

Almac also announces 2030 emissions target – a part of its ongoing environmental strategy

Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Chemistry 2022 Winner Announced

Almac Group Announces New COO and Appoints New Almac Pharma Services MD

Almac announces Business in the Community membership

Almac Group’s Dundalk Site Achieves Globally Recognised Health & Safety and Environmental Management System Certifications

Almac Group Announces $65M Expansion of North American Headquarters in Pennsylvania

Capital plan will increase U.S. clinical supply capacity by 60% upon completion in 2024

Almac Pharma Services Opens Applications for Trainee Production Operator Programme

Applications are open to anyone with A-Levels or an equivalent level 3 standard qualification, including students expecting to receive grades in August.

Almac’s Higher Level Apprentices shortlisted for WorldSkills UK National Competition

Almac Group to Create 355 Jobs and Invest $93.5 Million in Pennsylvania Expansion

Almac Group & Indian Valley Education Foundation Cut Opening Ribbon on Student Careers Experience Center at Souderton Area High School

Almac Group records highest ever revenue, profit and employee numbers as £200 million global expansion plans announced

Almac Group launches fully funded degree apprenticeship programme Almac Accelerate

Almac Celebrates Earth Day with Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties

Galen expands product portfolio with GelX® Oral Spray

Galen expands product portfolio with Provocholine® (methacholine chloride)

Almac supports Belfast Telegraph Business Awards Category – ‘Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility’

Almac Celebrates International Women’s Day

Almac scoops the prize for Best Apprentice Employer of the Year at ABC Business Awards

Full STEAM ahead for Almac Group’s Primary School Science Initiative

Almac Group Actively recruiting in the North West

The College of Paramedics Opens Dr John Hinds Scholarship Call for Entries

Almac also announces 2030 emissions target – a part of its ongoing environmental strategy 