» AUGUST 2011
Aesica Qualified Person Service Helps American Clients Reach EU Clinical Trials
AUGUST 2011: Leading pharmaceutical manufacturer, Aesica, is helping clients to reach EU Clinical Trials through its on-site Qualified Person (QP) service.
Aesica has four highly trained and qualified European QP's at its site in Nottingham, who routinely release Clinical Trial supplies into Clinics across the EU.
Due to Aesica's experience and established processes, the team can also provide QP EU release as a service for Clinical Trial products that have been manufactured in a non-EU country. As a result US pharmaceutical companies are choosing to partner with Aesica for the release of non-EU manufactured Clinical trial supplies into the UK and other European countries.
Nottingham's onsite facilities include GMP analytical laboratories with the capability for full specification testing and can accommodate various dosage forms including oral, topical, inhaled and parenteral products. Most importantly, Aesica is able to provide the certification required for clinical trial supplies to be used at EU trial sites.
Paul Titley, Managing Director, R5 Formulation Development, Aesica said: "Aesica's Nottingham site employs sixty people and it is quite unique for a unit of our size to have so many QP's on site, which gives us a real advantage in the marketplace. We've recently delivered a series of successful contracts for American clients and our partners appreciate the ease and efficiency of having our QP on site at all times, as we're not reliant on sub-contractors and are therefore able to respond to client requirements quickly and effectively.
"As the QP's regularly release Clinical Trial materials for projects in the EU they are fully aware of industry processes and regulations and have the benefit of being able to discuss projects with each other on site. As with all other services at Aesica, we offer an effective, personalized and reliable service that enables new products to enter the EU Clinical Trial stage as quickly as possible."
Aesica's R5 Formulation Development business unit develops and manufactures new medicines and clinical trial materials and is widely acknowledged as one of the leading providers of pharmaceutical dosage form development across Europe. It provides market leading formulation development, analytics and GMP services and guides clients through the processes of new medicine and material development for Phase I and Phase II clinical trials, maximising budget effectiveness by minimising experimentation without sacrificing quality levels.
Aesica is a leading full-service provider of contract research, development and manufacturing services for Formulated Products and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. The company develops long-term strategic partnerships with its clients, responds quickly and effectively to market demand and develops tailored solutions for specific requirements.
Its unique proposition lies in its flexible and bespoke approach to service delivery, coupled with its ability to develop products from the initial clinical stage through to final commercial supply. Furthermore, the long established and proven expertise within Aesica enables it to provide primary and secondary contract manufacturing services to the highest possible regulatory standards. It is this full-service offer, its dedication to exceptional standards of service and its ability to deliver innovation and added value for its clients that truly sets Aesica apart from its counterparts.
For more information about Aesica please visit www.aesica-pharma.com
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For further information please contact Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Local Bus Operator Issues Impressive Results In Annual Performance Report
AUGUST 2011: Local bus operator Stagecoach North East has announced in its latest annual report that it has carried 82 million passengers over the last year.
The results found within the report are all the more impressive considering the continually challenging economic climate that is putting pressure on the operator to provide increased value and enhanced accessibility for the communities it serves.
Over 23 million miles were covered by the company's fleet of 473 buses, and 99.3 per cent of all scheduled mileage was operated. Of the mileage that wasn't achieved, 0.5 per cent was due to factors outside of the company's control such as poor weather, congestion and road maintenance works.
Service punctuality is a key Company performance measure, Stagecoach North East monitored around 8 per cent of its operated journeys and found almost 95 per cent arrived within five minutes of the scheduled time.
Staff training and development continues to be a key priority for the company and currently over 74 per cent of its 1,124 strong driving force has achieved an NVQ. In addition, the company is committed to recruiting young people through the Stagecoach Apprenticeship Scheme and currently has 10 engineering apprentices working across its six depots in the region and is currently seeking to recruit and additional four.
John Conroy, Managing Director, Stagecoach North East says: "The impressive results contained within our annual report are testament to the dedication of all our employees to provide an outstanding service across the North East and our commitment to enhancing travel options and customer service levels continues to drive forward the ongoing popularity of our services.
"Over the course of the last 12 months we have invested £4.5 million in 32 new, low floor, environmentally-friendly vehicles, ensuring almost 90 per cent of our fleet is now low floor. Furthermore, we have invested £593,000 in employee training ensuring that all 1,460 staff fully understand both company and national policy and safety procedures for the benefit of our customers. Also to date, we have cut energy consumption by over 14 per cent through our environmental programme Ready Steady Green."
"In recent weeks we have begun taking delivery of 26 new hybrid electric double deck buses for the route 39/40 which reduce emissions by 30 per cent. A total investment of £7.2million is involved with the company contributing £5million and a further £2.2million being provided through the Government's Green Bus Fund.
"In the past 12 months we have helped our staff to raise £10,292 for local charities and have worked with community organisations to raise awareness of public transport and enable more people to access our services safely and simply. We are very proud of our employees for both their work performance and their individual achievements; in the past year we have seen one of our drivers come runner up in the National Transport Awards Frontline Employee of the Year, our Marketing Manager received an internal Stagecoach Champion award for the Ready Steady Green project and numerous individual charity and community efforts from those within the workforce," John added.
To recognise staff for their achievements and attitude to work, Stagecoach North East introduced the Service to the Community award which recognises staff for going above and beyond the call of duty, such as raising money for a local charity or assisting someone in need both at work and in their spare time.
For further information about Stagecoach North East please visit www.stagecoachbus.com/northeast
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For further information please contact Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Niven Architects Wins Academy Contract
AUGUST 2011: Darlington-based, Niven Architects, has been awarded the contract to assist a national building contractor with the design and construction of St. Lawrence Academy in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire.
Work has begun on the building, which dates back to 1925, including major demolition of the east and west parts of the school while the original central main hall and the front façade of the building will be retained. Following the demolition of these buildings, Niven will add new two-storey wings to house state of the art teaching and student services facilities. In addition, there will be some refurbishment of the retained building including the original sports hall and main assembly hall.
The leading architectural practice is working with contractors, May Gurney, who won the North Lincolnshire Building Schools for the Future award, to fulfill the contract.
The renovation of the school for 11 to 16 year old boys and girls is costing £8.2 million and will be implemented in two phases with phase one being completed in September 2012 and phase two in September 2013.
Dave McKeag, Niven Architects, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded such a significant contract, which has developed into a much bigger project than we originally thought and there is the potential for additional work to follow once we complete both initial phases by the end of September 2013. I must praise the whole team working on this project for their dedication and contributions, as considerable effort has been required to ensure that the additional work is achievable and to the highest possible standards."
He adds: "The architecture and construction industries have faced many challenges over the last few years, yet we are pleased to report that we are experiencing an upturn in work streams across the region and further afield. I believe Niven's strength and ability to sustain its market share, lies in the diversity of its clients, both historically and currently, coupled with repeat business from satisfied clients."
Niven Architects is a leading architectural practice providing a holistic service from concept through to final delivery. The company has extensive experience and expertise spanning 25 years in providing quality and excellence in all aspects of architectural design and project management.
Its service proposition is robust and comprises pre-development consultation, architectural design, visualisation, planning, project management, sustainability services and interior design. While it has a rich heritage in North East England, the practice works within all development sectors nationally and in some cases internationally.
For more information about Niven Architects please visit www.nivenarchitects.co.uk or call 01325 260055.
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For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith at Velvet Communications on 07909 537 773 or via email at madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Family Funday Raises Funds For Charity
AUGUST 2011: Staff at Spark Response have now raised £2,700 for Barnardo's through a series of events including a family fun day, which was held at the weekend at its site in Follingsby Park.
The Gateshead based contact centre and fulfilment specialist has been raising funds for the charity throughout 2011 and the latest event to be staged was a circus-themed family fun day, with staff, including Managing Director, Peter Slee, dressed as clowns and overseen by a ringmaster.
Attractions on the day included a human wrecking ball, bungee run, stilt walkers and a magician and fire-eater. Despite the torrential rain, the fun day was well attended by Spark staff and their family and friends who took shelter under the 100ft marquee.
Suzi Campbell, North East Community Fundraiser for Barnardo's, attended the event and said: "It's fantastic to see the staff at Spark Response being rewarded for their hard work through the year, not least for raising vital funds for Barnardo's. Although Barnardo's is the UK's leading children's charity, we rely heavily on donations from the public and on behalf of Barnardo's North East I would like to extend huge thanks to all at Spark for their efforts at the fun day and throughout the year to raise funds for us."
Speaking of the event, Spark's Managing Director, Peter Slee, said: "Once again the Spark fun day has been a great success and not only is it a great way to say thank you to the whole team for their hard work, we have also managed to raise much needed funds for Barnardo's North East."
Spark staff hope to raise over £5,000 this year, which will be divided between Barnardo's in the North East and South Shields charity Cancer Connections.
For more details about Spark Response please visit www.sparkresponse.com or call 0191 418 6077. For further information about the SSAFA visit www.ssafa.org.uk
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For further information please contact Madeleine Griffith or Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email madeleine@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Aesica Offers One Source For API And Formulation Development
AUGUST 2011: In response to market demand for a more efficient and rapid scale-up of the non-GMP to GMP phases of a product's CMC development, leading pharmaceutical manufacturer Aesica, is encouraging clients to utilise its integrated
API and Formulation Development Service.
Aesica is widely recognised for its expertise in transitioning lead candidate API from medicinal chemistry into GMP development. The parallel approach between Aesica's API Development and Formulation Development teams ensures clients will be taken into Preclinical and Clinical development more efficiently and effectively, saving time, reducing cost and simplifying outsourcing demands.
Utilising a single supplier for a product's CMC development enables single transfer costs, familiarity of the API and allows for knowledge to be shared between the team throughout both stages of the process. During the optimisation process, Aesica provides non-GMP grade material to its Formulation Development scientists to enable early Preformulation evaluation to occur simultaneously. Once the GMP material has been synthesised, Aesica's Formulation team manufactures the Clinical trial supply materials. Furthermore, stability testing for both Drug Substance and Drug Product is also conducted at Aesica.
Dr. Robert Hardy, CEO, Aesica said: "Clients are assigned a dedicated scientific project manager and the team works together as one to design and conduct an efficient CMC development path for our clients' lead candidate. By unifying our expertise and capability, clients can be assured that their needs are being managed by a single outsourcing partner and in addition to a more rapid scale-up process there are also significant cost saving benefits."
He adds: "Here at Aesica, we are committed to providing our clients with a quality and responsive service and by integrating our API and Formulation Development expertise we ensure seamless communications and effective delivery to take clients into Preclinical and Clinical development. Working with our experts, clients can simplify their outsourcing demands and benefit from a single analytical technical transfer, speeding up whole development process significantly. Our experienced team is able to provide support for API to SafeBridge ® Category 3, controlled drugs and the formulation of all dosage forms."
Aesica is a leading full-service provider of contract research, development and manufacturing services for Formulated Products and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. The company develops long-term strategic partnerships with its clients, responds quickly and effectively to market demand and develops tailored solutions for specific requirements.
Its unique proposition lies in its flexible and bespoke approach to service delivery, coupled with its ability to develop products from the initial clinical stage through to final commercial supply. Furthermore, the long established and proven expertise within Aesica enables it to provide primary and secondary contract manufacturing services to the highest possible regulatory standards. It is this full-service offer, its dedication to exceptional standards of service and its ability to deliver innovation and added value for its clients that truly sets Aesica apart from its counterparts.
For more information about Aesica please visit www.aesica-pharma.com
ENDS
For further information please contact Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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Bus Drivers Receive Award For Helping Children
AUGUST 2011: Two local bus drivers have won an award for outstanding service to the community following recognition from passengers and colleagues.
Jonathon Middlemiss and David Farrier from the Slatyford depot in Newcastle have received a Service to the Community badge from employers Stagecoach North East, after going above and beyond the call of duty to help young children.
Stagecoach North East's new incentive which launched earlier this year is designed to recognise staff for their achievements and attitude at work. The award will be given to employees who go above and beyond the call of duty, such as raising money for a local charity or assisting someone in need, either at work or in their spare time.
Jonathan Middlemiss, from Newcastle received the award after saving a group of children from two Alsatian dogs running free in the street. The 43 year old, from Newcastle, who has been driving buses for 24 years, went to the rescue of the children after seeing the dogs escape from their garden.
Jonathan said: "I was dropping a passenger off at a bus stop and when the doors opened I heard dogs barking and saw two Alsatian dogs running free. I then heard screams from some children and I just rushed to stop the dogs from attacking them and stood in between the dogs and the group. I've kept dogs all my life and often watch the television show The Dog Whisperer so knew I needed to be confident and look the alpha male in the eye to get him to back down.
"Once I got the dogs safely back into the garden I went to check that the children were alright as they all seemed very frightened. I didn't really think I was doing was anything out of the ordinary and am honoured to be awarded with the Service to the Community badge as I was just glad I could help."
David Farrier, 55, also from Newcastle has worked for Stagecoach North East as a bus driver for 35 years. He received the Service to the Community award for helping a young child who had become separated from their parents.
David said: "I was driving along a very busy road when I spotted the young boy wondering along at the edge of the road by themselves. I brought the bus to a halt to see if there was anyone else with him but there wasn't so I took him on board and drove him to the MetroCentre security team who were then able to contact the police and reunite him with their very distraught parents. I was just pleased that I was there to help and avoid something tragic happening."
Speaking of his award, David added: "I am very pleased to be recognised for what I did with this Service to the Community award and will wear my badge with pride."
John Conroy, Managing Director, Stagecoach North East said: "Jonathan and Dave's actions were very brave and compassionate and we are proud of them. On behalf of Stagecoach I would like to thank them for going above and beyond the call of duty to help the local community and it's a pleasure to be able to recognise them with this award.
"As a customer-focused organisation, one of our aims is to get employees thinking about how their activity at work can impact the experience of our customers. We have the ability to influence a passenger's day, just by making their journey a pleasant and comfortable experience. So, we believe those employees who go above and beyond the call of duty should be recognised and rewarded by us for their efforts. The Service to the Community award gives us a tangible and easily monitored way of doing this that allows managers and directors to get involved with staff in a positive and encouraging setting."
For further information about Stagecoach North East please visit www.stagecoachbus.com/northeast
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For further information please contact Elizabeth Eddy on 01642 584790 or email elizabeth@velvetcommunications.co.uk
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