Pfizer joins pharma process consortium

Britest, a consortium of manufacturers, engineering firms, and university researchers aimed at developing more efficient manufacturing processes for the pharmaceutical sector, announced that Pfizer will join AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline in the ranks of its major drug company members. "Pfizer is committed to developing continuous manufacturing processes to support its key product areas," says Rick McCabe, the company's senior global manufacturing manager. Excelsyn, a contract fine chemicals manufacturing and process engineering firm has also joined the group, bringing total membership to 16. Other members of Britest, which was formed in 1998, include Johnson Matthey, Nicholas Piramal, and Imperial College London.