SSPC, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals, has announced that it is to expand its research capabilities with the addition of Kapaji as an industry collaborator.
Hosted by Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), SSPC currently brings together experts in developing innovative technologies to address key challenges facing the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry.
Kapaji, a newly formed start-up based in Prague, Czech Republic, offers bespoke services to the pharmaceutical industry under four general value streams: Pharmaceutical Development and Production Support, Industrial Project Management and Company Processes Optimisation, Animal PK studies and related Trainings.
“We are delighted to have Kapaji on board, as it strengthens SSPC internalisation efforts, extends SSPC’s global reputation and provides for collaboration opportunities with industry and academia in the Czech Republic and across Europe,” said John Brennan, SSPC Business Development.
Kapaji founders have 30 years’ experience in generics (Gx) and offer unique competencies to SSPC in Ireland, such as (but not limited to) Gx drug product reverse engineering, pharmaceutical development or routine production troubleshooting, generic view on particular IP strategy, as well as small molecule portfolio selection.
Such competencies are vital to a wide range of scenarios such as e.g. identifying hazardous components in pharmaceutical products, fine tuning of pharmaceutical processes, determination of potential patent infringement, or improving competitive positioning of existing or new product(s).
Kapaji co-founder Dr Jiri Svoboda, said they are looking forward to partnering and growing with SSPC.
“Joining the prestigious research centre in Ireland is a great honour for us, and we are glad our expertise and experience may contribute to the advances in the country’s pharmaceutical research as well as add value to the pharmaceutical industry.”
One of Kapaji’s three founders, Dr Pavel Calta, already has strong ties with SSPC. During his time with Zentiva, he collaborated with SSPC Co-Director Prof. Mike Zaworotko. Dr Calta’s relationship continues through collaboration work with SSPC investigator Assoc. Prof. Lidia Tajber at Trinity College Dublin. In addition, Dr Calta is one of the founders of the Parc (Pharmaceutical Applied research Centre) – an academic-industrial research cluster based in Prague.
SSPC’s research programme is aligned to industry needs, enabling a more predictive design-led approach in developing drug substances, drug products and the processes to manufacture them. In addition to Kapaji, SSPC works in collaboration with Eli-Lilly, Janssen, Sanofi, MSD, Alkermes, APC, Pfizer, SK Biotek, Scale-Up Systems, Clarochem, Innopharma, M-Star, Regeneron, Magritek and multiple non-member targeted projects.
SSPC founded in 2007, focused on the entire pharmaceutical production chain from molecule to material and formulation of the medicine. This has now grown to include manufacturing and modelling working with nine higher-education institutes and fifteen industry partners.
