Serving the pharma industry Siegfried

SERVING THE PHARMA INDUSTRY

Siegfried is a global leader in the process development of specialised products and customised contract manufacturing services for the pharmaceutical industry. Industry Europe looks at the company’s unique out-licensed portfolio.

Siegfried was founded in 1873 by pharmacist Samuel Benoni Siegfried, who began by supplying medical products to pharmacies. From the outset it was a success and by 1904 it was converted to a joint-stock company and was subsequently listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange in 1973. In the late 1980s the company transformed itself into a leading CMO player. Today it is a truly global organisation with a unique range of contract production capabilities and services that cover chemistry, continuous flow technology and formulation technologies, as well as micronisation and spray drying technologies. In addition, Siegfried offers a range of fully integrated services along the entire supply chain, as well as services relating to regulatory affairs, intellectual property, project management, packaging and logistics. It is a preferred partner to more than 60 per cent of the world’s pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers both large and small rely on Siegfried’s long-standing pharmaceutical and chemical heritage as well as its in-depth knowledge of drug production and licensing. Furthermore, as a global company serving pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide, Siegfried has continued to invest in new manufacturing capabilities. In recent years investment has been focused on additional technologies in the US and at its Zofingen manufacturing facilities, as well as and in the expansion of its drug product manufacturing facility in Malta.

In addition, it has been establishing a manufacturing presence in Asia, enabling it to gain a competitive edge in its CMO business. In 2012 it acquired the US company Alliance Medical Products Inc. in order to enter the market for sterile filling products.

Increased potency products

In the fast changing world of pharmaceuticals, the demand for drugs with higher potency levels and pharmacological activity shows

no sign of abating. Since 2004 Siegfried has continually invested in advanced ‘containment technology’ to offset the potential occupational health hazards and possible threats to the environment of these ‘super-drugs’. However, the company’s significant investment in special containment measures ensures safe operation through all phases of development and manufacture. Siegfried offers its customers the capability for early stage development, scale-up and commercial manufacture of highpotency drug substances and drug products.

A company spokesperson said. “We are a true contract development and manufacturing company offering a broad range of chemistry and formulation options. We focus on being an integrated supplier and concentrate on developing and optimising chemical processes as well as difficult-to-make formulations for our customers. Our portfolio of APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) is extensive and we have developed new products in the opiates and nicotine areas and are able to develop and market these mainly in USA and Europe but also in the emerging countries. Our capability for the development of new opiates in North America is particularly important for us because government legislation there means that opiates cannot be imported. “We are very much an innovative, integrated contract supplier that offers bridging technologies using cross-functional teams. The increasing trend towards producing molecules that offer higher potency levels and pharmacological activity is another area that we have been investing in for many years and today we operate state-of-theart, segregated, high containment facilities and production areas that we consider to be ‘best-in-class’. We are also able to offer continuous cross-flow technology that is not restricted to batches. This in turn reduces analytical costs.” Optimising the value chain

Unlike many of its competitors, Siegfried is able to support and project manage the whole pharmaceutical value chain process from start to finish. The company’s goal is to build up a sustainable and stable relationship with its business partners by offering a range of supply chain solutions that are customised to suit a customer’s specific requirements. As an integrated partner, Siegfried offers its clients synergy, expertise and added value through reduced supply chain complexity and simplified communication. In addition, clients benefit from a reduced vendor interface as well as a combined and coordinated analytical and manufacturing approach that achieves the optimum required formulation performance. Siegfried also provides complete life-cycle management services from development through to commercial and generic realisation.

Siegfried is not in the distribution business; its focus is clearly on contract devel-

opment and manufacturing in addition to offering its own portfolio of products. From its sites in Zofingen, Pennsville and Malta it can provide everything along the entire value chain including formulation development and small-scale sample manufacture. It operates a ‘key client strategy’ and is not only serving the big pharma companies, but also the medium-sized companies and those with only one or two products in their portfolio.

Innovative technology

In exclusive partnerships with its pharmaceutical customers, Siegfried develops and optimises processes for the manufacture of new active ingredients and final drug dosage forms. The shared goal of these joint activities is to increase value for its customers through innovative drug development and the protection of a customer’s intellectual property rights. Regarding Siegfried’s own portfolio of products, which are developed and manufactured for different customers, the company continually strives for innovative approaches and the expansion of its own IP portfolio. This strengthens its competitive position and thereby enhances its customer’s own competitive edge.

Siegfried also creates value through its dedicated approach to project management by guaranteeing that its customers can rely on ‘on-time’ delivery of all deliverables, known as ‘on-time-in-full’ logistics. This service is combined with simplified outsourcing processes. n