Seqens has revealed that it is commissioning a new plant at its site, which was formerly part of Chemoxy, in Billingham, north-east England. This will make diols such as 1,2-hexanediol, 2-ethylhexylglycerin and caprylyl glycol for use in cosmetic ingredients and hand sanitisers.

The investment cost over £10 million and commercial production should start in June. It is expected to create 15 new jobs, plus further work in the global distribution chain. The site has already been producing hand sanitiser since May 2020.

CDMO Seqens is to partner with its French compatriot Rondol, a specialist in drug dosage extrusion technologies via hot melt extrusion. Their stated aim is “to accelerate the development and commercialisation of extruded dosage forms with improved bioavailability, reduced side effects and optimised manufacturing costs”. Seqens will implement the technique within its Seqens’Lab at Porcheville.

Seqens will produce the first volumes of an aromatic diamine monomer by means of flow chemistry in its dedicated workshop at SeqensLab in Porcheville, France (pictured), by the end of 2021. This follows a successful first pilot trial in 2020.

President Emmanuel Macron (above) and Bruno Lemaire, Minister of the Economy, Finance & Recovery, were both present on 28 August, when pharmaceutical CDMO Seqens unveiled a new HPAPI unit at its site in Villeneuve-La-Garenne, France. The total investment in the UPP30 project, as it is called, was about €30 million.

Nicolas Biz, CDMO chief project officer, shows how Seqens rapidly developed production of a key material in the fight against Covid-19

Pending the availability of a vaccine, which will necessarily take time, the race against the clock is under way to identify and develop an anti-viral molecule effective against Covid-19. Research is taking place at an unprecedented speed, with more than 1,900 clinical trials listed worldwide since the start of the pandemic. Of these, 912 are in the process of patient testing.

Seqens plans to add a second production plant for isopropanol at the Roussillon chemical platform in southern France (pictured). This will have capacity of 50,000 tonnes/year, increasing the company’s total by 70%, and is due to start up in 2021. It will enjoy an optimised production and competitive access to raw materials and energy on site, the company said.