Solvias has agreed a deal with American biopharmaceuticals firm Vitae Pharmaceuticals under which it will manufacture the API for Vitae’s lead product candidate, VTP-27999, an orally available renin inhibitor for the management of hypertension and end-organ protection, in its new GMP-approved manufacturing facility for use in planned Phase II clinical studies.

This agreement includes ongoing process R&D support. Vitae, which is based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, added that it expects to begin a multiple ascending dose Phase I study of VTP-27999 by mid-2010.

Solvias had previously carried out initial process R&D studies for compound in 2008, including analytical and solid-state chemistry development and supplying API for pre-clinical studies. At this stage, it claims, several process improvements were successfully achieved, significantly improving its cost profile, purity and ease of synthesis.