Symbiosis targets US market as it signs up to SDI incubator in Boston

An ambitious young Scottish life sciences company has announced it is moving into Scottish Development International’s (SDI) Boston incubator office to allow it to target new business in the US.

Symbiosis Pharmaceutical Services, a leading small-scale contract manufacturer of novel injectable pharmaceuticals for use in clinical trials, currently has clients throughout Europe, Singapore and Japan. It is now strategically targeting the US market to leverage its competitive strengths and address a growing demand for its services, particularly from biotechnology company clients.

From the outset, the company has configured its service offering to meet the demands of the US market, which has the largest global concentration of clinical trial clients. By establishing a foothold in the US, the company intends to increase its exposure and credibility with potential US biotechnology company clients and encourage more US firms to consider basing their clinical trials in Scotland, benefitting from existing compliance with European pharmaceutical regulations.

Lena Wilson, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said: “Symbiosis is a great example of a young ambitious Scottish company that continues to look for new market opportunities overseas in order to grow its business.

“Moving into the SDI incubator in Boston will help them establish a base near to potential US customers, allow it to test the market place and hopefully act as a springboard to establishing a more permanent presence in the US. Through our SDI staff on the ground in Boston and across the US, we’re looking forward to working with Symbiosis to realise their ambitious growth plans both in the US and in Scotland.“

Colin MacKay, founder and chief executive of Symbiosis said: “Symbiosis is rightly proud of the industry-leading pharmaceutical manufacturing facility we recently built in Stirling, Scotland. Equally, the flexible operational capability we have built and the service excellence which our people are highly motivated to subsequently provide to our clients, directly enhance our competitive strengths. Both were designed and then built with the demands of the US market in mind.

“Symbiosis is delighted to be moving into SDI’s Boston incubator as this will provide us with a powerful means of directly accessing that potential market. We have an outstanding track record of helping our clients meet their clinical trial deadlines. Our intention is to be the fastest and the best small-scale sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing company in the world. This step represents another example of how practical, proactive support from Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International has directly facilited the development and growth of Symbiosis both in Scotland and in entering attractive international markets like the US.”

Lena Wilson made the announcement while in the US to identify new trade and investment opportunities with Scotland. Ms Wilson will be meeting a number of US based companies in New York before travelling on to Chicago to join an SDI trade mission of Scottish food and drink and golf companies who are targeting new business during the Ryder Cup.

Ms Wilson added: "The United States continues to be Scotland's number one export market, worth £3.5 billion a year, while around half of all inward investment projects to Scotland last year came from US based companies.

“As well as targeting opportunities in new emerging economies, we must continue to build on the strong links that we’ve built up in more established markets like the USA that will help us attract new investment and new jobs to Scotland and help companies respond to significant new opportunities."