NSF International Acquires Pharma, Biotech Contract Lab
Ann Arbor-based NSF International, an independent public health organization offering dietary supplement training, Good Manufacturing Practices registration, testing and certification services, said Tuesday that it has acquired Pharmalytica Services LLC, a pharmaceutical contract laboratory based in Bristol, Conn.
Pharmalytica provides a full range of official "good laboratory practices" and "good manufacturing practices" analytical services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry from discovery support through commercialization.
Pharmalytica specializes in extractables and leachables testing, method development and validation, and bioanalysis. Services provided by Pharmalytica's Food and Drug Administration-registered and Drug Enforcement Administration-licensed laboratories complement the extensive health sciences services offered by NSF International to global pharmaceutical companies.
NSF International's Health Sciences Division currently offers certification, training, consulting and GMP auditing in the areas of pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and medical devices through NSF and NSF-DBA, an NSF International company. Formerly known as David Begg Associates, NSF-DBA has 25 years of pharma industry expertise, including offering the Quality Leadership Program for pharmaceutical professionals.
Additionally, NSF developed the only American National Standard for Dietary Supplements (NSF/ANSI Standard 173) and certifies dietary supplements to this standard to verify label claims and that a product is free of undeclared substances and unacceptable levels of contaminants. The NSF Certified for Sport program builds on the NSF Dietary Supplement Certification program by including banned substances screening to minimize the risk that a dietary supplement or sports nutrition product contains banned substances.
As part of NSF's Health Science Division, NSF Pharmalytica will provide analytical testing, consulting, training, registration and research and development services, expanding NSF's health sciences service offerings to the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. Pharmalytica will operate primarily as a GLP & GMP contract laboratory, offering a wider array of independent testing and analytical services. Pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology companies will benefit from these combined services, which are essential as the dietary supplement and pharmaceutical markets continue to grow globally.
"Combining Pharmalytica's knowledge in pharmaceutical analytical testing and R&D with our existing portfolio of dietary supplement and pharma solutions will help pharmaceutical companies worldwide make informed decisions when developing new products and strategies," said NSF International CEO and president Kevan P. Lawlor.
"We have great confidence that Pharmalytica's expertise, in synergy with NSF's 65 years of testing and certification expertise, will be of great benefit in the development of new medicines worldwide," said James Scull, executive director of Pharmalytica Services, LLC.
Pharmalytica and its 17 employees will continue operating in Bristol, NSF officials said. Globally, NSF has more than 1,000 employees.
