Symeres, a Netherlands-based global drug discovery Contract Research Organisation (CRO) and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), announced on Tuesday the acquisition of Exemplify BioPharma, a US based CRO that provides integrated drug development services in Process & Analytical Chemistry and Formulation Development to pharmaceutical and biotech partners.

Keensight Capital, a private equity manager involved in pan-European Growth Buyout investments and the majority shareholder in Symeres, has worked together with the management teams of both companies to facilitate this business combination.

Exemplify BioPharma, based in Cranbury, New Jersey (US), is a provider of integrated end-to-end small molecule Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) services to pharmaceutical and biotech partners. The company offers functional expertise and consultancy services in Process Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and Formulation Development for a successful transition of programs from late-stage lead optimisation through candidate selection to first-in-human. Exemplify employs 20 people, of which the majority are Ph.D-level scientists. The company will remain under the current management of co-founders: Yadan Chen, chief executive officer, and Dr Paul O'Shea, chief scientific officer.

This acquisition is claimed to further strengthens Symeres' strategic foothold in the US, where the company already generates about 50% of its revenues. Exemplify operates from its new state-of-the-art 18,600 sq. ft. facility in New Jersey. Its functional expertise in Process & Analytical Chemistry and Formulation Development represents a highly synergistic combination with Symeres capabilities and service offering, Symeres said.

Exemplify BioPharma is Symeres' second acquisition in the US this year, following the acquisition of Organix Inc., an organic chemistry services provider based in the Boston area specialised in lipids addressing the mRNA therapeutics and vaccines market.

Dr Eelco Ebbers, Co-founder and CEO of Symeres, stated: 'We are pleased to welcome Exemplify BioPharma into the group. Exemplify has an excellent track record of supporting the development needs of North American biotech companies through their experience and outstanding laboratory-based science. This acquisition, following the addition of Organix earlier this year and our investment plans for all of our R&D facilities, is a further tangible demonstration of Symeres' strategy of building a leading mid-sized transatlantic pharmaceutical R&D service provider for our clients around the world.'