SpiroChem ready for further growth

SpiroChem is a Swiss fine chemicals company specialised in creating novel building blocks for use in drug discovery by its pharma and biotech partners. Customer base, number of employees, revenues and the breadth of the solutions and collaboration packages SpiroChem offers has been growing. The company relecated its business to state-of-the-art facilities in Basel. In addition, Anthony Baxter joins the Board of Directors.  

With a growing reputation in the life sciences industry and increasing demand for SpiroChem’s products, the Company has relocated to new, enlarged facilities in the Rosental Area of Basel. Previously the Company was based at ETH Zürich. According to the team, this relocation is an exciting step for the Company as it provides an ideal location to significantly expand its operations and foster collaborations with existing and new customers and partners. The laboratories and team are now fully operational in Basel.

“Basel is the heart of the Swiss life science industry. We decided to relocate because we wanted to be closer to our key customers and serve them even better. Recruitment of chemists is now better facilitated and our new chemistry lab will enhance their activities. Additionally, our new set-up is ideal for interaction and collaborations with large and small organisations, providing flexibility and speed to solve problems, allowing our clients to focus on effectively designing the drugs of tomorrow. We will continue crafting innovative solutions for problems encountered in challenging and complex projects in the medicinal chemistry field”, said Thomas Fessard, CEO of SpiroChem.

“Our customer base, employees, revenues and the breadth of the solutions and collaboration packages we offer have been growing. Based in these remarks, SpiroChem intends to become a key player in Basel’s vibrant, innovation-driven, life science scene, supporting our ambition to increase our portfolio of clients and recruit talented employees to join our growing, cutting-edge Company”, he added

The startup has so far sold its products and services to over 250 clients, including 16 of the top 20 pharma companies, in over 30 countries. “We see this as a very strong endorsement of our capabilities. We have many ongoing collaborations, ranging from large pharmaceutical companies to small biotech.”

New member on Board
In addition to opening the new location, SpiroChem announced that it has welcomed Anthony Baxter (Photo) to its board of Directors. Baxter joins the Company from Cyprotex plc, a supplier of DMPK services to the pharma and biotech community, where he held the position of CEO before its acquisition by Evotec AG in 2016 (£55m). Prior to this, Tony was the founding CEO of Argenta Discovery Ltd, a leading drug discovery services, and proprietary therapeutics company. Baxter was also CSO of Oxford Asymmetry International plc and helped build the business from an early stage company, to its flotation on the London Stock Exchange, and then to its eventual merger with Evotec AG in 2000 (£316m). After his graduation from the University of Manchester in Salford, UK, Baxter worked as a medicinal chemist with over 12 years senior level experience at GSK and Ciba-Geigy UK (now Novartis).

“Working with Baxter will be a real boost. His industry experience and network will be invaluable as we continue to grow our portfolio of small, medium, and large pharmaceutical, agrochemical and life science clients worldwide”, said s Fessard.

“I am delighted to join the Board of SpiroChem as the Company enters the next key phase of development on the road towards becoming a leading innovation and drug discovery partner to the pharmaceutical industry. I very much look forward to working with the team and leveraging my industry knowledge and experience as a chemist to SpiroChem’s full advantage”, said Baxter, Director.

About SpiroChem
Founded as an ETH-Zürich spin-off, SpiroChem has established itself as a world-leader in the field of novel building blocks for drug discovery and the expert on bioisosteric switch strategies. The startup has a broad portfolio of clients across the biotech and pharmaceutical industry as well as world-leading fine chemical companies. Moreover, in recognition for its excellence in drug design and proprietary process chemistry technologies, SpiroChem was awarded two sizable Swiss government grants (CTI Grant) and has been honoured with several entrepreneurial awards.

(RAN)