18 October 2010
A UK-based sterile contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) specialist is set to fly the flag for the region’s manufacturing sector after being selected for a high-profile international trade mission.
Drug manufacturer SCM Pharma is one of only 20 firms across the UK that is attending the week-long UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Bio and Pharma trade mission to Japan at the end of October.
The CMO's managing director Dianne Sharp will be representing the company and will present to delegates at the British Embassy in Tokyo and an additional seminar in Osaka.
With the assistance of the UKTI team in Japan, Mrs Sharp is also scheduled to meet several Japanese firms with a view to generating interest in the SCM Pharma’s niche sterile fill finish services.
She said: “We have had an increasing number of enquiries from Japanese pharmaceutical and biotech firms over the last year, so the opportunity to promote our services as part of such a prestigious trade mission is an ideal one.
“I am looking forward to representing the North East and making new contacts in Japan. This I expect is the first step in generating significant revenue from the Japanese pharmaceutical market over the next few years,” added Mrs Sharp.
SCM Pharma’s global push, which has recently seen it secure contracts in the US and Europe, has been assisted by a UKTI grant awarded early this year to help support its export growth. The firm was one of only 40 businesses across the region to be successful in winning the £30k UKTI Horizons grant.
Keith Stockdale, one of UKTI's International Trade Advisers said: "UKTI has worked closely with SCM Pharma to promote its innovative products in overseas markets and the company will be a wonderful ambassador for the North East in helping showcase what the region has to offer."
With around 50 employees, SCM Pharma provides sterile and non-sterile production services to assist clients progressing innovative drug products through clinical trials. With an emphasis on novel, difficult and dangerous products, it also makes drugs for customers that require low volume commercial supply of niche licensed products.
The company has now worked with a third of the top ten global pharmaceutical firms on various product indications across a number of therapeutic areas including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, dermatitis, needle-free injection technology and sexual health. www.twitter.com/scmpharma
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. We also help overseas companies bring their high quality investment to the UK’s economy – acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business.
UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world. We provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage. For more information on UKTI, visit www.ukti.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 7215 8000.
ENDS
Media contact: Raman Sehgal at SCM Pharma
01661 838 186 / ramans@scm-pharma.com
Additional information: For latest press releases re: UKTI, visit the online newsroom at www.ukti.gov.uk/media. You can also keep in touch with developments at UKTI through www.blog.ukti.gov.uk, www.twitter.com/ukti and www.flickr.com/photos/tags/ukti.
Companies in the North East can find out more about the services available through UK Trade & Investment by contacting the North East International Trade Hotline on 0845 05 05 054 or email: enquiries@ukti.rito.co.uk
International trade support services in the North East are financed in part by the European Unions ERDF Competitiveness programme 2007-13, securing £5,999,216 of ERDF investment through regional development agency One North East. The ERDF Competitiveness programme 2007-13 is investing over £250m in North East England to support innovation, enterprise and business support across the region.
