NIBRT to Join SSPC, Strengthening Collaborative Ties to Drive Innovation in the Biopharma Sector 

Dublin, Ireland, 25 October 2024 – The National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) is happy to announce its membership in SSPC, the Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceuticals, hosted at the University of Limerick. This collaboration builds on a strong track record of successful joint initiatives between NIBRT and SSPC and aims to further advance the development of innovative technologies that address critical industry challenges. 

SSPC has a strong commitment to collaborate with world-leading institutes to foster a culture of knowledge-sharing and accelerated progress in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research. With over 80 investigators, SSPC has assembled scientists and engineers to work collaboratively to provide innovations that have the potential to benefit humanity for years to come.

 

With this important step, SSPC and NIBRT are building on a long history of partnership to address ambitious research challenges. Notable examples of recent collaborations, which demonstrate the diversity of links between the two organisations and showcase the range of expertise being shared, include:

  • The Research Ireland funded Advanced Biopharmaceutical Technologies Spokes Project, in partnership with seven major biopharma companies and involving NIBRT Principal Investigators (PIs) Prof. Niall Barron and Assoc. Prof. Jonathan Bones. The topic, extractables and leachables, is of high relevance to the pharmaceutical industry today due to their potential impact on drug safety and efficacy.
  • Prof. Steven Ferguson is both a NIBRT and SSPC Co-Principal Investigator, where his manufacturing theme is strongly aligned to industry with a focus on enabling a disruptive change in the manufacture of drug substances and drug products.
  • NIBRT PIs Prof. Elizabeth Topp and Prof. Anne Moore are also funded Investigators in SSPC. Leveraging Prof Topp’s expertise and leadership position within the global consortium LyoHub, NIBRT and SSPC have been working together on a training collaboration in formulation and lyophilisation processes.

Commenting on the announcement, Prof. Damien Thompson, SSPC Scientific Director, said: “This collaboration represents a key step forward to innovate and deliver life-changing therapies in the (bio)pharma space in Ireland. By combining our expertise and resources, we are poised to advance science and talent. Ensuring that Ireland remains at the forefront of global pharmaceutical research and development is essential, and we are delighted to see such a high calibre partner come on board.” 

 

“We are delighted to deepen our partnership with SSPC, a leading research centre that shares our commitment to advancing the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sectors by pulling together excellent researchers and research groups from across Ireland’s research institutes towards a common objective”, commented Dr Darrin Morrissey, NIBRT CEO. “This alliance allows us to leverage each other’s strengths, accelerating innovation and providing even greater support to industry as we work together to address some of the sector’s most complex challenges,”

 

The partnership marks an exciting step forward. Building on an already-established relationship, NIBRT’s membership of SSPC will significantly enhance both organisations’ ability to achieve their strategic goals. This alliance will unlock new opportunities by combining NIBRT’s deep expertise in biopharmaceutical manufacturing research, state-of-the-art research infrastructure and equipment, with SSPC’s cutting-edge pharmaceutical research, offering access to extensive specialist resources, infrastructure, and talent. 

 

**End of press release**

 

Picture left to right: Dr Sinéad O’Doherty (SSPC COO interim), Dr Darrin Morrissey (NIBRT CEO), Prof. Damien Thompson (SSPC Scientific Director) and Killian O’Driscoll. (NIBRT CCO).

About NIBRT:

The National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) is a global centre of excellence for training and research in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. NIBRT is located in a world class facility in Dublin, Ireland. This facility is purpose built to closely replicate a modern bioprocessing plant with state-of-the-art equipment and enables NIBRT to offer the highest quality training and research solutions. NIBRT’s mission is to support the growth and development of all aspects of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry. For more information, please visit www.nibrt.ie.

About SSPC:

 

SSPC, the Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceuticals, funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, formerly Science Foundation Ireland, is a hub of Irish research expertise developing innovative technologies to address key challenges facing the (bio)pharmaceutical industry. SSPC delivers industry-relevant technical solutions, which result in job growth and retention within this sector in Ireland and grow the skills base of qualified scientists and engineers. For more information, please visit www.sspc.ie.You can follow SSPC on X (@SSPCentre) and LinkedIn. 

 

 

Media Contacts:

Name: Emer Norton

Title: NIBRT Marketing and Communications Manager

Email: emer.norton@nibrt.ie

Phone: +353 1 215 8100

 

Name: Louise O’Neill 

Title: Marketing and Communications Manager 

Email: louise.oneill@ul.ie 

Phone: +353 87 9308585