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NLB Healthcare Partners with Nursing Norway AS to recruit 3000 nurses in next 5 years

NLB Healthcare, the healthcare subsidiary of NLB Services - leading global technology and digital talent solutions provider, announced its strategic partnership with Nursing Norway AS, a part of the Focus Care Group and a market leader in the supply of healthcare personnel to the Norwegian healthcare system, and World Trade Center Pune India, an affiliate of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), a global network spread across 330 cities in 130 countries that fosters international trade, to recruit, train and deploy medical nurses from India to be employed in the Norway healthcare system. Norway has one of the toughest criteria for recruiting working professionals outside the EU. This tri-partite partnership is the first industrial recruitment process being undertaken with an Asian country outside Europe. The partnership seeks to establish a steady flow of talent to the Focus Care group of companies and also directly to Norwegian municipalities. By tapping the huge potential of the Indian healthcare workforce, this partnership is taking a giant leap in the right direction. The goal is to recruit 3000 nurses to the Norwegian market over the next 5 years. Speaking on the strategic importance of this partnership Tommy Andre Iverson, CEO, Nursing Norway AS said, “We are creating a unique pathway for Indian nurses to gain full authorization to work in Europe and address the pressing challenge of nurse shortages in Norway. We have been impressed with Indian education standards and the quality of Indian nurses is more than adequate to meet the needs of the Norwegian healthcare system.” Varun Sachdeva, SVP & APAC Head, NLB Services added, “At NLB Services, our purpose is to Bridge the Gap and we are well aware of the talent crunch for healthcare workers across the EU. This partnership is of strategic importance because it helps create new avenues and expand the talent ecosystem at the root level. While these are initial steps in the direction, we are sure that they will significantly address the gap in times to come.” Elaborating on World Trade Center’s role in facilitating this partnership Niraj Khinvasara, Chief Innovation Officer, World Trade Center Pune said, “We are very excited about this partnership. After the pandemic, we’ve seen a gap in skill-based labour especially in healthcare in many parts of the world. Programs like this will help ease the situation and contribute to the healthcare segment globally.” The partnership will be a great platform to establish NLB Healthcare as a market leader in healthcare recruitment and set the stage for the program's second phase, with ambitions to expand its reach to Europe and the rest of the world.

Roquette to to acquire Qualicaps , creates new opportunities for employees

Roquette, a global leader in plant-based ingredients and pharmaceutical excipients, has announced an agreement to acquire Qualicaps and reinforce its position as a major supplier to the pharmaceutical industry. The combination of the two businesses will contribute to Roquette’s strategic growth plan and will create new opportunities for Roquette and Qualicaps’ customers and employees. Qualicaps is headquartered in Nara, Japan, and is the third largest producer of hard capsules for oral dosage solutions. With an attractive client base that includes major pharmaceutical and food companies around the world, and a workforce of 1,400 employees located in different sites in Asia, Europe and the Americas, Qualicaps is a renowned global player, relying on high-quality products and a strong innovation pipeline. This strategic investment offers Roquette the ability to expand the global footprint of its pharmaceutical business, as well as enrich its offerings of oral dosage solutions. Roquette’s deep knowledge and expertise in the development of pharmaceutical excipients will be further enhanced by Qualicaps´ expertise in capsules, as well as by their assets and infrastructure. The newly combined businesses will offer the most diverse range of oral dosage solutions to existing and new customers, addressing their current needs and anticipating future ones through new and ever more innovative solutions. Qualicaps´ global footprint, with manufacturing and R&D sites in Japan, Spain, Romania, Canada, the USA and Brazil, will allow Roquette to expand its presence and be closer to its customers and markets. The closing of the acquisition of Qualicaps is expected to occur in Q4 2023. The closing remains subject to the fulfillment of some customary and legal conditions and, until then, Qualicaps remains 100% owned and managed by the Mitsubishi Chemical Group.

Biovian to open a new manufacturing facility, creating 100 new jobs

Biovian Oy, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in biopharmaceuticals, announces a major investment of over €50 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Turku, Finland. The new facility will cover an area of 6,400 sqm (69,000 sqft), and house cutting-edge equipment and advanced technologies to support the development, manufacturing, and testing of ATMP (Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products), such as adenoviral and AAV (adeno-associated viral) therapies. It will also feature dedicated Class A to D cleanroom areas for bulk drug substances as well as final drug product manufacture. The expanded facility will adhere to current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) and fulfilling both EU and US GMP requirements ensuring the delivery of safe, reliable, and compliant biopharmaceutical products. The investment is a strategic move aimed at meeting the growing demand for high-quality biopharmaceutical manufacturing services and further solidifying Biovian’s position as a trusted partner in the biopharmaceutical industry. Together with Biovian’s existing manufacturing facility, the new premises will increase the total area up to 11 500 sqm (123 800 sqft). The additional space complements Biovian’s existing manufacturing facilities in the area and will enable Biovian to undertake larger-scale viral vector as well as microbial protein projects and concurrent manufacturing campaigns by increasing overall production capacity and flexibility. The expansion project is expected to be completed in December 2024, with the new facility fully operational by 2025. The investment is expected to create 100 job opportunities in the region, adding to Biovian’s already approximately 200 strong team.

Cariflex's new manufacturing plant brings 80 new jobs in Singapore

The global market leader in polyisoprene rubber latex for medical-end markets, Cariflex Pte. Ltd. relocates its global headquarters to 2 Venture Drive, #25-10 Vision Exchange, Singapore. Previously located in the city centre, a fit-for-purpose office had been set up in 2020 after the establishment of Cariflex in Singapore as a wholly owned subsidiary of DL Chemical Co., Ltd., the move signifies the strengthening of Cariflex's presence in Asia, and increased job opportunities locally. "The construction of our largest polyisoprene latex plant in Jurong Island, Singapore is progressing well. The plant is expected to be operational by the second half of 2024, and it will create at least 80 permanent jobs in engineering, production, quality, supply chain, and other manufacturing support functions", said Prakash Kolluri, CEO of Cariflex. "The new office, three times larger, is in support of the rapidly growing Cariflex staff in Singapore that has doubled in the last two years. The new office is strategically located closer to Jurong Island to enhance interaction between headquarters and our future manufacturing site," he continued. DL Chemical Co., Ltd subsidiary companies, Kraton Polymers Singapore Pte. Ltd. and DL Chemical Co., Ltd Singapore Branch, will also be co-located in the same office, leveraging the business and site synergies. Driven by a strong commitment to better serve its global customers in medical and consumer products, Cariflex continues to invest in capabilities to strengthen its position as the number one supplier of polyisoprene latex with unmatched quality and diversity of supply sources. The move to the new headquarters strengthens our presence in Asia, which represents the most important growth region for Cariflex.

Cerapedics Inc expanding its headquarter, plans to hire 60 employee by the end of 2024

Cerapedics Inc., a commercial-stage orthopedics company dedicated to redefining the standard of care for bone repair, announced it is expanding its headquarters in the Denver metro area to support the growth of its products, which include the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved i-FACTOR® bone graft for cervical spinal fusion and its next-generation product currently being evaluated for lumbar spinal fusion. "Since the launch of i-FACTOR, we have seen a continuous increase in its use in spinal fusion. We are committed to supporting the needs of surgeons and their patients by expanding our facility," said Valeska Schroeder, Chief Executive Officer of Cerapedics. "We are fortunate to be based in Colorado and to recruit from the area's experienced, innovation-focused talent pool as we prepare to launch our next-generation product." Cerapedics has fully enrolled its 290-patient randomized controlled clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of the next-generation P-15 Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery. This next generation product has been granted breakthrough status by FDA and is being studied under an investigational device exemption (IDE). By expanding its facility, Cerapedics is adding over 50 percent more space to its Colorado headquarters to increase space for manufacturing, research and development and other key functions. Cerapedics has hired more than 100 employees in Colorado in the last five years and plans to hire another 60 Colorado-based employees by the end of 2024.

Onkos Surgical Unveils New Manufacturing and Innovation Center

Onkos Surgical, a leading innovator of solutions for musculoskeletal oncology and complex orthopaedic procedures, announced its launch of the JTS Extendible Prosthesis, a novel growing implant designed for pediatric patients with bone cancer, and unveiled its new, state-of-the-art manufacturing and R&D innovation center at its Parsippany, NJ headquarters to support the integration and growth of the technology. Patrick Treacy, Onkos Founder and CEO said, "This is a transformative time for our company, which was founded on serving this group of surgeons treating complex orthopaedic procedures and the patients they care for. Pediatric sarcoma patients, who are candidates for the JTS growing prosthesis, often have complex treatment cycles in which we need to deliver precision designs in a very specific treatment window. Our investment in manufacturing innovation and design expertise will make a big difference in the future for these surgeons, patients, and families and we couldn't be more proud to serve their needs." "This milestone reflects an exciting evolution for Onkos as the company accelerates our investments to serve the pediatric musculoskeletal oncology space and broaden our Precision Orthopaedics portfolio. The new manufacturing facility and innovation center will enable a more agile production environment and provide a world-class experience for our customers. Everything about the design of the facility is geared toward increasing speed, capacity and ownership of the supply chain to optimize our ability to deliver personalized devices," said Gary Thomas, Onkos VP of Manufacturing

Upperton completes build of new £15m development and GMP manufacturing facility

Leading UK contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), Upperton Pharma Solutions has completed the build of its new development and GMP manufacturing headquarters in Nottingham, UK. Situated less than two miles from Upperton’s current HQ, the facility houses ten new GMP manufacturing suites, quality control laboratories and formulation development with pilot plant capabilities. The new site provides Upperton with a manufacturing footprint increase from 1,300 sq.ft. to 13,000 sq.ft, and a significant expansion of analytical laboratory space, from 880 sq.ft. to 8,500 sq.ft. It has the capability to handle highly potent and controlled drugs in a range of dosage forms, and support early formulation development, clinical trial supplies from Phase 1 to Phase 3, and niche-scale commercial manufacture. The £15m, 50,000 sq.ft. facility has been designed to increase Upperton’s operational footprint, enabling the CDMO to support more customer projects and meet larger scale requirements. The facility has benefited from a significant investment in commercial scale equipment, offering powder blending up to 250kg per batch, capsule filling up to 40,000 capsules/hour, dry granulation processing up to 100kg/hour, and tablet pressing up to 120,000 tablets/hour. Nikki Whitfield, Chief Executive Officer at Upperton commented: “We are delighted with the progress of our Nottingham facility since we first began on this journey in January 2023. This build completion is a significant milestone for us and represents our significant growth as a company. “By increasing the scale at which we can operate, we are looking forward to being able to offer our customers a smooth transition from early development, to clinical trials and commercial manufacturing for low volume, niche products – all at one, single site, with established project teams.” Upperton will now begin the commissioning of the facility, along with the installation and validation of the new equipment. The goal is to become fully operational by Q4 of 2023 for development and non-GMP manufacturing, with a view to starting GMP operations in January 2024.

SMH Breaks Ground on $75 Million Research Facility

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is breaking new ground with a $75 million Research and Education Institute that will expand clinical research opportunities and provide an innovative, interdisciplinary learning environment for physicians, nurses and researchers. The 5-story, 80,000 square-foot facility, slated to open next to the health system's Sarasota (FL) hospital in 2025, is designed to promote collaboration and discovery in medical education and research for Sarasota Memorial's expanding clinical and graduate medical education programs and research team. "Bringing together skilled physicians, clinical investigators and nurse educators, the new Research and Education Institute will centralize everything we do under one roof, providing physicians, researchers and clinicians opportunities to work collaboratively in an innovative research and education environment," Sarasota Memorial Health Care System President & CEO David Verinder said. In addition to supporting clinical trials and research studies, the Institute will offer a range of education programs and state-of-the-art simulation center that expands hands-on training opportunities for physicians, nurses and students mastering new treatments and technologies. Sarasota Memorial is ranked by Fortune/Merative among the top 40 teaching hospitals in the nation and serves as a training ground for the next generation of caregivers. With Florida State University as its academic partner, Sarasota Memorial's Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine residencies, and Palliative Medicine fellowship programs help attract and retain physicians to Florida and the region. Close to half of the resident physicians have stayed on at Sarasota Memorial after completing their training, while nearly 70% remained in Florida. Sarasota Memorial Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD, said the health system's research and education programs have tripled in size in recent years, with nearly 70 resident physicians and fellows completing residency and fellowship training each year. With more than 50 active studies under way, Sarasota Memorial's reputation for research also is growing. The health system collaborates with clinical investigators in the community, as well as academic partners and research facilities across the nation, to provide the critical infrastructure to conduct studies across a broad range of specialties. "We are so proud of the strides Sarasota Memorial has made in research and education in recent years," Dr. Fiorica said. "Our teaching hospital is ranked among the best in Florida, and top 40 in the nation. That recognition helps attract exceptional physicians, nurses and other clinicians to the region and greatly expands access to advanced treatments and care in our community."

Avantor plans to expand the company's Bridgewater Innovation Center

Avantor, Inc. a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences, education and government, advanced technologies and applied materials industries, announced plans to relocate and significantly expand the company's Bridgewater, N.J. Innovation Center. The Bridgewater Innovation Center opened in 2017 and serves as a technology-driven research and collaboration environment where Avantor works with customers to develop and enhance their offerings. The new location will feature double the current size of the available lab and pilot space. The expanded Innovation Center will open in August 2024 at a nearby location in Bridgewater, N.J. The new site will support customers' pipelines across all modalities, including monoclonals, cell and gene therapy and mRNA, and will feature a development and application area, including a viral vector laboratory. "We are committed to supporting our customers' requirements and growth, and this expansion allows us to take an even more collaborative approach to deliver customized solutions that move science forward," said Nandkumar Deorkar, SVP of Research & Development and Innovation, Avantor. "By adding capacity, talent, and capability to our Innovation Center, Avantor is in a stronger position to support the growing demands for gene therapy and mRNA workflows, facilitate pipeline project execution and enable quicker production scale-up. These enhancements will pave the way for the innovations of tomorrow." Labs in the new Bridgewater Innovation Center will include upstream and downstream process development, chemistry and material science, analytical and bioanalytical, viral vector workflows and electronic materials. Larger and more flexible pilot labs with additional capacity and capability to produce novel excipients, resins and biopharma reagents will enable quicker production scale-up for customers. Additional pilot areas for upstream and downstream production will highlight Avantor's chemical manufacturing and single-use expertise. Additionally, Avantor's expanded Innovation Center will feature digital service offerings, such as Avantor's Inventory Manager, a proprietary, vendor-agnostic cloud-based software designed to serve as the central transactional and intelligence hub for lab inventory management.

Revelation Pharma Completes Two Acquisitions

Osceola Capital announced the seventeenth and eighteenth additions to the Revelation Pharma platform, adding significant scale and capabilities to the business. Revelation acquired Eagle Pharmacy, located in Hoover, Alabama, and Lee Silsby Compounding Pharmacy, located in Beachwood, Ohio. Eagle is a 503B outsourcing compounding pharmacy that serves healthcare facilities, medical offices, patients, and prescribers in over 29 U.S. states & territories, and its capabilities will allow Revelation to ensure availability of medication for office use and provide diversification and additional growth levers for the rest of the Revelation platform. Lee Silsby is a 503A compounding pharmacy that serves patients and prescribers in over 45 U.S. states & territories. Since its founding in January 2021, Revelation has rapidly scaled both organically and inorganically into one of the largest privately-held compounding pharmacies in the United States. The Company has acquired 18 pharmacies to-date, its organic growth is far outpacing industry growth, and is broadly diversified across every aspect of its business model. Revelation serves tens of thousands of prescribers and hundreds of thousands of patients throughout the U.S. every year. The Company's geographic footprint includes 14+ locations with licenses and revenue produced in all 50 states. Revelation offers compounded pharmaceutical solutions across a wide variety of therapeutic classes, including allergy, anti-infective, hormone, urology, veterinary, anti-inflammatory, nutrition, men's health, women's health, ophthalmology, and more. Revelation's medication delivery form expertise includes tablet, injection, topical, pellet, and oral. "Organically, Revelation is expanding significantly above market growth rates through our management team's adept execution of new pharmacist recruitment initiatives, the development and utilization of new product and service lines, and the expansion de novo locations to maximize capacity availability," said Patrick Watkins, Partner at Osceola Capital. "The Revelation team, with the support of Osceola Capital, has refined a successful and scalable acquisition playbook to source, execute and integrate targets, and we look forward to further executing on a robust acquisition pipeline."