A North Carolina company that develops and manufactures therapeutic skin-care products is relocating its 24-person research and development team to the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC) in Kannapolis.

Ei, A Pharmaceutical Solutionworks will occupy a 10,000-square-foot laboratory with office space on the third floor of the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building, the NCRC said in a news release.

What’s in a name? The meaning of Ei

Source: Ei

“The name Ei is taken from chemistry. It refers the ionization energy required for one molecule to bond with another. We have chosen this as our name, because, more than expertise, service or technology, it is the strong bond we form with our customers that allows us to perform at the highest level.”

“By offering best-in-class facilities, advanced scientific capabilities at the David H. Murdock Research Institute and significant opportunities for collaboration with other research centers on campus, the NC Research Campus will significantly accelerate our progress toward creating premier dermatology development capabilities and providing our customers with a robust turnkey service from early development through commercial manufacturing,” said Charles W. Gray Jr., Ph.D., Ei’s chief scientific officer.

Moving from site on Cannon Blvd.

Ei’s R&D team is currently housed in the company’s semi-solids manufacturing facility on Cannon Boulevard in Kannapolis.

The team’s move to NCRC will allow Ei to enhance its scientific foundation for dermatological product development and add a significant skin biology research capability, the company said.

“R&D represents a key area of investment for the growth of our company,” said John Regan, CEO of Ei and its parent company, Product Quest Manufacturing, based in Daytona Beach, Fla. “We are excited to partner with the NC Research Campus to bring additional capabilities to our customers.”

Ei specializes in the development and manufacturing of therapeutic, over-the-counter, and prescription skin-care products for leading pharmaceutical and consumer-goods companies. Ei also partners with customers to develop Abbreviated New Drug Applications for generic drugs.

Ei’s new presence at NCRC will also give other scientists throughout the campus the opportunity to collaborate with Ei, said Mark Spitzer, vice president of operations for Castle & Cooke North Carolina, developer of the research campus.

“Ei adds a critical product formulation and development component to the campus,” Spitzer said. “By partnering with companies like Ei, the research coming out of our laboratories will be accessible to more people, improving opportunities for healthy living and even having the potential to benefit the agriculture sector of our state.”

The NCRC offers a concentration of scientific expertise on the health benefits of antioxidants and other bioactive compounds found in fruits and vegetables. These naturally occurring compounds are often incorporated into skin-care products.

Move spread over four months

Ei’s move to the NCRC will occur over a four-month period so the company’s ongoing projects are not interrupted.

The R&D team, which employs three Ph.D.s and nine master’s-level scientists, will hire additional scientists within the next year, the company said.

Ei develops and manufactures topical liquid, semi-solid and loose powder lines for pharmaceutical, over the counter and therapeutic skin-care and animal-health clients. The company operates in 180,000 square feet of state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Kannapolis, less than three miles from the NCRC.

The facility performs formulation development, package sourcing, testing, method development, validation, stability programs, bulk manufacturing, filling and regulatory filing assistance. It serves more than 50 customers including multi-national, top-tier pharmaceutical and therapeutic skin-care companies and other Fortune 100 companies.

Ei was founded in 1983 and is privately held.

The NCRC is a collaborative research center with 21 university, corporate, health care and technology partners that conduct multi-disciplinary research to produce healthier and safer fruits and vegetables, natural ingredients and functional products while advancing the fields of targeted nutrition and personalized medicine.

(C) N.C. Biotechnology Center