AMRI Changes Name to Curia and Acquires Integrity Bio and LakePharma

Effective July 12, 2021, CDMO Albany Molecular Research, Inc. (AMRI) changed its name to Curia. According to the press release, the new name is to reinforce the company’s positioning as a CDMO—from R&D through to commercial manufacturing in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. “Curia” is derived from a Latin word that means purposeful assembly.

The company was founded 30 years ago in Albany, New York. Today, Curia employs more than 3000 people in 21 locations around the world, has 564 active patents, and has more than 20 treatments.

“Our new name reflects the assembled deep expertise of our people, the breadth of our products, services and solutions, and our relentless determination to help customers advance from curiosity to cure,” said Curia Chairman and CEO John Ratliff in the press release. “Our new brand honors our foundation in research and innovation while creating a platform for our ambitions of life-changing science so we can make ever-growing contributions to improving patients’ lives. Over the past three decades we have broadened and deepened our capabilities to become a leading provider of CDMO solutions. Today marks the beginning of the next chapter in our history.”

In addition, Curia has entered into an agreement to acquire Integrity Bio, Inc., a formulation and fill/finish organization in Camarillo, Ca., according to a July 13, 2021 press release. Integrity Bio recently expanded and added a second fill/finish line, which more than doubled its manufacturing capacity. According to the press release, Integrity Bio formulates more than 60 large molecules in a typical year, including proteins, antibodies, lipid nanoparticles, peptides, and vaccines in liquid and lyophilized form.

“The addition of Integrity Bio is a great fit with our growth strategy and our existing expertise, enhancing our biologics drug product formulation development as well as our fill-finish network,” said Curia Chairman and CEO John Ratliff, in the press release. “Integrity Bio also adds West Coast coverage to Curia’s East Coast and European capabilities. Together, we can make an even bigger impact on patients’ lives.”

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021.

In a July 14, 2021 press release, Curia also announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire LakePharma, a biologics drug discovery, clinical research, development, and manufacturing company that has facilities in California, Massachusetts, and Texas.

LakePharma’s range of technology platforms are used in projects from discovery to development to manufacturing, namely cell-line development, bioexpression systems, and viral vector production systems. The company has assisted in the development of more than 200 therapeutic or diagnostic products and served more than 1500 customers, including some of the top global biopharmaceutical companies.

Following the completed transaction and merge of Curia and LakePharma, the company will provide expertise in large and small molecules from drug discovery through drug substance manufacturing, sterile injectable formulation, and fill/finish production.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021.

Sources: Curia - July 12, 2021 Press Release, Curia - July 13, 2021 Press Release, Curia - July 14, 2021 Press Release