Phyton Biotech Unifies International Operations Under New Leadership
Restructuring, Appointment of New President Supports Company Growth, Diversified Operations
VANCOUVER, Canada, December 21, 2017 – DFB Pharmaceuticals, a Fort Worth, Texas-based private investment group with an entrepreneurial drive for developing new products and businesses in healthcare, announced the promotion of Colin Marr to President of Phyton Ltd., the world’s leader in commercial-scale plant cell fermentation technology and DFB’s wholly-owned subsidiary.
“I am very pleased to promote Colin to the role of president of Phyton Biotech, overseeing both the Canadian and German divisions of the company and a long-term strategy focused on its overall growth and diversification,” said Paul Dorman, Chairman and CEO of DFB Pharmaceuticals. “As Phyton Biotech continues to build its business and broaden its offerings to better serve its global customers, we needed to bring its international operations together under a single point of leadership. We are confident that Colin’s extensive experience as a veteran biotechnology executive and his vision will be tremendous assets to Phyton Biotech and that under his leadership, the company will continue to be a growing and successful CDMO enterprise.”
Over the last 25 years, Phyton Biotech has been at the forefront of innovation and excellence in biotechnology by harnessing the potential of phytochemicals through its plant cell fermentation technology solution, called PCF®. The company is globally recognized for revolutionizing the manufacturing process for paclitaxel (one of the world’s most important anti-cancer drugs) from plant cell cultures using PCF®. Its model is now considered the gold standard around the globe and Phyton Biotech is now the world’s largest producer of paclitaxel and docetaxel via PCF®, with the capacity to meet more than one-third of the global demand for these critical active pharmaceutical ingredients.
In recent years, Phyton Biotech has been expanding its scope beyond the production of taxanes and into the commercial development and manufacture of other valuable plant-derived compounds via PCF® across various industries. Phyton Biotech’s new corporate structure and leadership change will enable the company to better position itself, leveraging its unique capabilities, expertise and impressive history in developing complete plant cell culture-based production processes – from initial cell line development to commercial-scale production.
While the company will continue to prioritize its high-value API business, under Marr’s leadership, it will concentrate on strengthening its role as a top CDMO, offering comprehensive and leading-edge services for the development, production and commercialization of high-value plant-based molecules, extracts and recombinant products using PCF® to its global clients in the pharmaceutical, Traditional Chinese Medicine, cosmetic, agricultural and food ingredient industries, and on identifying partnership opportunities that support the company’s growth.
“It is a real honour to be named president of such an innovative and globally-leading company,” said Marr. “In my time with Phyton Biotech to date, our highly skilled and dedicated team has built upon our unique and vast capabilities, powerful technology and highly specialized expertise to create state-of-the-art solutions for complex and game-changing plant cell development projects, such as our recent $400,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to revolutionize the production of artemisinin, a critical ingredient in the global treatment of malaria. Phyton Biotech is at the leading edge of the development, manufacturing and commercialization of high-value phytochemicals. I look forward to leading Phyton Biotech towards continued growth and to partner with global clients across diverse industries on innovative projects that leverage the full potential of plant cell fermentation technology.”
About Phyton Biotech
Phyton Biotech is the global leader in Plant Cell Fermentation Technology (PCF®). The company has cGMP pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in both Germany and Canada and employs approximately 100 personnel.
Phyton Biotech offers comprehensive services for the development and commercialization of plant-based molecules, extracts and recombinant products, serving the pharmaceutical, Chinese Traditional Medicine, cosmetic, agricultural and food ingredient industries. Using its revolutionary and proprietary PCF® platform, Phyton offers a time, risk and cost-balanced path to commercially viable production processes, resulting in the sustainability, reliability, quality and scalability of the supply chain.
As a biotechnology leader, Phyton has a successful track record of developing and implementing innovative contract development solutions for clients around the world. With certified GMP facilities in Germany and Canada, Phyton combines highly developed technology, significant expertise and the highest quality to meet our global customers’ needs. For more information on Phyton Biotech, please visit phytonbiotech.com.
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