The Custom Synthesis Market

When pharmaceutical companies need compounds for drug development, custom synthesis providers satisfy demand. Chris Lo talks to Onyx Scientific CEO Tony Flinn about the challenges of synthesising molecules to a strict deadline.

When it comes to the pharmaceutical industry, the old adage “if you want something done right, do it yourself” doesn’t necessarily apply. Big Pharma, as well as biotech and drug development companies, rely on an intricate network of partnerships in the academic, business and technical realms to get drugs through the extensive clinical trial process and into the market.

Custom synthesis is one of the options open to drug developers in need of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to make their products effective. If it is impossible or impractical for a company to make these molecules and compounds in-house, a chemical specialist that offers custom synthesis will often be brought in to do the job. For the most part, these contracts are carried out under strict confidentiality agreements and strict delivery deadlines are part of day-to-day operations.

Onyx Scientific is a UK-based pharmaceutical service company that specialises in chemical synthesis for customers in the pharmaceutical industry. We talked to the company’s CEO Tony Flinn about the trials, techniques and technology involved in operating in this high-pressure market.