Pictured: Daniel Milek
Leicestershire pharmaceutical company, Pepceuticals, has
appointed a new Head of Sales to spearhead business growth on the
back of recent approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Authority (MHRA) for the manufacture of Active
Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) at its Enderby site.
Daniel Milek, previously with Thermo Fisher Scientific in
Loughborough, will be responsible for the opening up of new trade
opportunities with universities, pharmaceutical companies and
research bodies.
Daniel's appointment and the MHRA approval follows an additional
£2 million investment in new premises incorporating
state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, to which the company
relocated from BioCity Nottingham earlier this year.
Pepceuticals is now the largest peptide cGMP manufacturer in
mainland UK and is the Research Council UK (RCUK) preferred
supplier of peptides and antibodies. APIs are substances
used to produce drugs or medical products and the MHRA is the
government agency responsible for ensuring that medicines and
medical devices meet acceptable standards on safety, quality and
efficacy.
The company makes Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients including
peptides, which are used in research and clinical trials for
conditions such as cancer, diabetes, HIV and swine flu and the
development of medicines. Peptides are also used extensively in the
food and beauty sectors.
Managing Director, Dr Kamal Badiani, who founded Pepceuticals in
Leicester 13 years ago, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have
Daniel on board as our Head of Sales. His work is already starting
to have an impact in an industry which is very buoyant but highly
competitive. The MHRA approval is vital to our continuing growth of
20% year on year for the past two years. We now have the capacity
and capability to deliver a complete chemistry manufacturing
solution to the pharmaceutical industry."
The 10,000 sq ft industrial unit, situated on the Warrens Park
Industrial Estate, has been equipped with eight high-tech 'current
Good Manufacturing Practice' (cGMP) suites meaning work is carried
out to the highest industry standards and that drugs can be
manufactured on-site.
Dr Badiani, who has a doctorate in medicinal chemistry, added:
"I am confident that we can now fulfil our future growth plans and
I estimate the company will have a £5 million turnover within
the next five to seven years."
Pepceuticals is currently awaiting a further decision from the
MHRA on its application for a Specials Licence, allowing the firm
to manufacture unlicensed products for use in early studies and
clinical trials. Only a handful of these special licenses are
granted in the UK.