A*STAR’s Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences Opens South East Asia’s First Kilo Laboratory Facility
Singapore, Singapore, October 16, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences’ (ICES) Kilo Laboratory (Kilo Lab) facility was officially opened by Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), at its premises in Jurong Island today.
The Kilo Lab, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, is a pilot-scale research facility that will develop new process research techniques and solve the problems of scale-up and manufacturing for the pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals industry sectors. It also provides a platform to train and develop a new generation of engineers and chemists in Singapore, pacing industry trends and the latest technological advances.
“I am excited with this Kilo Lab facility we have. It will enable us to work on the technical problems in industrialisation of new chemicals and pharmaceuticals. We will invent ways to make processes cleaner, safer, cheaper and more efficient, and in turn we expect that society will benefit from safer and cheaper medicines and other products,” said Dr Keith Carpenter, Executive Director of ICES.
“ICES’s new kilo facility in Singapore will enable leading pharmaceutical and specialty chemical companies based in Singapore to partner A*STAR in process development and scale-up of new processes and products. This facility will enhance Singapore’s capabilities in process development, and strengthen Singapore’s position as Asia’s leading site for world-class pharmaceutical and specialty chemical manufacturing,” said Mr Beh Kian Teik, Director, Biomedical Sciences, Singapore Economic Development Board."
The Kilo Lab facility enables companies to evaluate new recipes and processes before going to full-scale manufacturing. This is beneficial for companies because at small-scale, processes parameters can be quickly adjusted and chemistries can be reconfigured to achieve desired outcomes, cutting down on development time and costs.
Dr Keith Parker, Head of Formulation Research and Development, APAC Syngenta Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. commented, “I am happy to hear that ICES is embarking on this pathway expanding their current capability and integrating it with in situ analysis. They will be able to provide industry R&D services from lab scale to first stage manufacturing.”
Said Dr Takahiro Kataoka, General Manager, Head of CMC Development Laboratories, Shionogi & Co. Ltd, “We are now thinking of increasing the opportunity to accelerate the scientific and risk-based approaches for developing the manufacturing process of new chemical entities. We do really hope that the new kilo-lab at ICES will be one of the best places for studying the approaches.”
Said Mr Lim Chuan Poh, “The opening of Kilo Lab marks another significant milestone for the pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals industry in Singapore. The facility, built with strong endorsement from leading companies in the industry, offers pilot-scale R&D and testing to overcome manufacturing challenges in the development of new drugs and specialty chemicals. I am confident this effort will create a vibrant research environment at ICES that will drive advances in process sciences and engineering, and push technological frontiers together with leaders of the industry.”
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Caroline CHIA
Tel.: +65 6796 3884
Fax.: +65 6873 4805
Email: chialic@scei.a-star.edu.sg
For collaboration enquiries, please contact: collaboration@ices.a-star.edu.sg
About Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES)
Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES) is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Established in 2002, its mission is to carry out world class scientific research, to develop novel technology and to nurture creative scientists and engineers to support economic growth in Singapore to make a positive difference to society. The research area covers chemistry and chemical engineering science, combined with advanced analytical characterisation and measurement to develop state of the art technology for the petrochemical, general chemical, fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
For more information, visit www.ices.a-star.edu.sg
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based Singapore. A*STAR actively nurtures public sector research and development in Biomedical Sciences, and Physical Sciences and Engineering, and supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to our partners in industry and the healthcare sector. It oversees 23 research institutes, consortia and centres located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis, and the area in their vicinity, and supports extramural research in the universities, hospitals, research centres, and with other local and international partners.
For more information about A*STAR, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg
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The Kilo Lab, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, is a pilot-scale research facility that will develop new process research techniques and solve the problems of scale-up and manufacturing for the pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals industry sectors. It also provides a platform to train and develop a new generation of engineers and chemists in Singapore, pacing industry trends and the latest technological advances.
“I am excited with this Kilo Lab facility we have. It will enable us to work on the technical problems in industrialisation of new chemicals and pharmaceuticals. We will invent ways to make processes cleaner, safer, cheaper and more efficient, and in turn we expect that society will benefit from safer and cheaper medicines and other products,” said Dr Keith Carpenter, Executive Director of ICES.
“ICES’s new kilo facility in Singapore will enable leading pharmaceutical and specialty chemical companies based in Singapore to partner A*STAR in process development and scale-up of new processes and products. This facility will enhance Singapore’s capabilities in process development, and strengthen Singapore’s position as Asia’s leading site for world-class pharmaceutical and specialty chemical manufacturing,” said Mr Beh Kian Teik, Director, Biomedical Sciences, Singapore Economic Development Board."
The Kilo Lab facility enables companies to evaluate new recipes and processes before going to full-scale manufacturing. This is beneficial for companies because at small-scale, processes parameters can be quickly adjusted and chemistries can be reconfigured to achieve desired outcomes, cutting down on development time and costs.
Dr Keith Parker, Head of Formulation Research and Development, APAC Syngenta Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. commented, “I am happy to hear that ICES is embarking on this pathway expanding their current capability and integrating it with in situ analysis. They will be able to provide industry R&D services from lab scale to first stage manufacturing.”
Said Dr Takahiro Kataoka, General Manager, Head of CMC Development Laboratories, Shionogi & Co. Ltd, “We are now thinking of increasing the opportunity to accelerate the scientific and risk-based approaches for developing the manufacturing process of new chemical entities. We do really hope that the new kilo-lab at ICES will be one of the best places for studying the approaches.”
Said Mr Lim Chuan Poh, “The opening of Kilo Lab marks another significant milestone for the pharmaceutical and specialty chemicals industry in Singapore. The facility, built with strong endorsement from leading companies in the industry, offers pilot-scale R&D and testing to overcome manufacturing challenges in the development of new drugs and specialty chemicals. I am confident this effort will create a vibrant research environment at ICES that will drive advances in process sciences and engineering, and push technological frontiers together with leaders of the industry.”
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Caroline CHIA
Tel.: +65 6796 3884
Fax.: +65 6873 4805
Email: chialic@scei.a-star.edu.sg
For collaboration enquiries, please contact: collaboration@ices.a-star.edu.sg
About Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES)
Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES) is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Established in 2002, its mission is to carry out world class scientific research, to develop novel technology and to nurture creative scientists and engineers to support economic growth in Singapore to make a positive difference to society. The research area covers chemistry and chemical engineering science, combined with advanced analytical characterisation and measurement to develop state of the art technology for the petrochemical, general chemical, fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
For more information, visit www.ices.a-star.edu.sg
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based Singapore. A*STAR actively nurtures public sector research and development in Biomedical Sciences, and Physical Sciences and Engineering, and supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to our partners in industry and the healthcare sector. It oversees 23 research institutes, consortia and centres located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis, and the area in their vicinity, and supports extramural research in the universities, hospitals, research centres, and with other local and international partners.
For more information about A*STAR, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg
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Contact
Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences
Caroline Chia
(65)67963884
www.ices.a-star.edu.sg
Caroline Chia
(65)67963884
www.ices.a-star.edu.sg
Contact
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