Sterling Pharma Solutions, a global contract development and manufacturing organisation, today announced that it has commenced a $2.1 million expansion project to increase chemical and analytical capabilities at its facility in Cary, North Carolina.

The project will include the construction of five new laboratories: two of which will be dedicated to research and development; a scale-up chemical synthesis laboratory; as well as Quality Control and analytical services laboratories. All work is due to be completed by the end of 2022, and will allow the recruitment of up to 20 additional scientists at the facility.

“This investment will see the Cary facility expand to meet the growing demands that we are witnessing from customers looking to progress novel small molecule therapeutics, and to accelerate early-phase development of candidates towards the clinic,” said Mathew Minardi, Executive Vice President and Site Head. “Our location, in the heart of Research Triangle Park, means we are close to a hub of local innovators looking for partners to assist in development, as well as serving a wider customer base through Sterling’s global network.”

This announcement follows several investments in Sterling’s manufacturing capabilities in 2021, as well as the acquisition of its Germantown site in Wisconsin from Alcami in 2020, and a dedicated antibody-drug conjugate facility in Deeside, UK in 2021.

Sterling’s 27,000 square-foot facility in Cary opened in 1994 and employs 50 people. It provides services to support API development and manufacturing product from pre-clinical through to Phase 2, including cGMP manufacturing, and capabilities to handle DEA schedule 1-5 controlled substances.