GREENWICH, Connecticut, Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Stuart Needleman, President and Chief Operating Officer, Aptuit LLC, announced that the number of clients placing work at The Aptuit Center for Drug Discovery & Development in Verona, Italy has reached 100, giving the site a strong vote of confidence from the marketplace.

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Mark Hembarsky, Vice President and Site Leader of the facility stated, "We are excited to have reached this important milestone of 100 clients at Aptuit Verona. In July of 2010, we started with one client, GlaxoSmithKline, following our acquisition of the site from them. Since that time, more and more clients have been recognizing that we have something unique and valuable to offer, and that we are certainly doing something right in helping them achieve their goals."

Mr. Hembarsky explained that in the two brief years since the acquisition, the Aptuit Verona facility has successfully made the transition from a single customer site to a dynamic drug discovery and development center attracting all types of clients – large, multinational pharmaceutical innovators, midsize and small pharma companies, biotechs and startups.

"Companies from the EU, North America, Asia and South America have placed projects with us covering numerous therapeutic areas," said Mr. Hembarsky. "We are proud that industry-leading companies like Pfizer Inc., Chiesi Farmaceutici, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, UCB, C10 Pharma, Autifony Therapeutics and GlaxoSmithKline are among the clients that have chosen to partner with Aptuit." He added that most clients have subsequently contracted repeat business with Aptuit and many have requested proposals for additional work before their initial project was completed.

"Our growth is a testimony to Aptuit's capabilities, and continued business inquiries are a source of great encouragement. Clients recognize that we offer the intelligence and insights of scientific professionals engaged in multidisciplinary activities, from integrated discovery, preclinical development, API and drug product development and clinical sciences through to clinical Proof of Concept.  Our 'heads for science' are accustomed to taking a big picture approach, applying what we call Integrated Knowledge. Because of our legacy as an R&D engine of a leading pharmaceutical company, we understand the total process of drug discovery and development and we apply that understanding to all work that we perform – whether it's fully integrated services or a specific stand-alone project. Our teams of highly experienced and knowledgeable drug development professionals can anticipate potential problems and offer preemptive solutions, allowing clients to mitigate risks, save time and reduce costs. Our 'hearts for service' are devoted to understanding what is important to each project and delivering, as promised, on time and in full, ultimately helping each client achieve their goals," said Mr. Hembarsky.

Mr. Needleman concluded, "We are very pleased that clients understand that they are getting the best of both worlds when they work with Aptuit Verona – the efficiency of an experienced CRO combined with the scientific expertise of a large pharmaceutical research and development engine. We're now at 100, and still counting."

Aptuit LLC provides the most complete set of integrated early to mid-phase development services in the pharmaceutical industry. Drug Design & Discovery, Preclinical Biosciences, API Development and Manufacture, Solid State Chemistry, Drug Product Formulation Development & Manufacture, Sterile Fill Finish, Clinical Sciences, Consulting and Aptuit INDiGOO (a program that accelerates drug development) are offered as stand alone or integrated services. Fully integrated drug discovery & development services are available from a single site at The Aptuit Center for Drug Discovery & Development in Verona, Italy. The company maintains five global facilities with approximately 800 employees in Europe and the United States, and has a strategic relationship with Laurus Labs in India. Aptuit LLC is partnered with Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, one of the world's leading private equity investors.

For more information about Aptuit, visit www.aptuit.com

CONTACT:  Maria Garvey, +1-1-914-747-1400, maria@delfino.com