Sharp begins validation of its centre of excellence in Rhymney

Validation of Sharp’s £9.5 million Clinical Services Centre of Excellence, based in Rhymney, Wales, has begun, taking the multiple-phase pharmaceutical manufacturing, packaging and distribution facility to the next stage of readiness.

Development of the facility began in 2017, the first phase of which involved renovation of a 10,200 square metre GMP facility to offer clinical trial supplies packaging, labelling, distribution, QP services and secure drug storage.

Frank Lis, president of Sharp Clinical Services, said: “Investing in new facilities and increasing our capacity enables Sharp to be even more responsive to customer requirements, while also meeting the growing demand for our services.”

Investment in the facility included support from the Welsh government to the tune of £500,000 and will enable the company to meet growing demand for global clinical and commercial services.

“Sharp UK will allow us to offer a broader range of integrated services from a world-class clinical facility. As such we are developing our manufacturing and analytical capabilities and adding automated bottling, blistering and serialisation as well as Interactive Response Technology (IRT) services for clinical trial management,” Lis added.

“This means we will be able to offer full service support for larger global clinical studies from this new Clinical Services Centre of Excellence.”

The new facility will create 73 new jobs and safeguard a further 70 with support from the Welsh government.