Catylix, Aspira Scientific partner to develop and commercialize new fluorination products

Catylix, Inc. (Burbank, California) and Aspira Scientific (Milpitas, California) announced today the formation of a joint venture to develop and commercialize new fluorination products and related chemistry.

Developing improved biologically active molecules has benefited from the use of substituents that are chemically stable, resistant to metabolism, and combine lipophilicity with polarity to improve binding and bioavailability. Fluorinated functional groups are particularly well-suited to accomplish these objectives, often bringing improved efficacy and metabolic stability into compounds.

Catylix, Inc. and Aspira Scientific have created a joint venture to offer new fluorine-containing building blocks and reagents to customers in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and specialty chemical industries. Dr. David Rozzell, CEO of Catylix, commented, "Through this joint venture with Aspira, Catylix will accelerate the development of its novel fluorination technologies and fluorine-substituted building blocks. Our goal is to expand our range of fluorination products and get these new compounds more quickly into the hands of chemists who need them."

Included in the product portfolio (www.aspirasci.com/fluorination) through this new joint venture will be Catylix's Trifluoromethylator® reagent for the synthesis of a wide range of CF3-containing compounds under mild reaction conditions. The broad compatibility with other functional groups allows "late-stage trifluoromethylation" during lead compound development and optimization for medicinal chemists. Dr. John Chan, CEO of Aspira stated, "The technical expertise of Catylix in fluorine chemistry together with Aspira's expertise in marketing, distribution, and production will allow rapid access of novel and unique fluorine-containing products, shortening screening and development time-lines for researchers. Aspira's access to cost-effective production facilities will ensure that these compounds will be available at economical cost structures on scale."

Dr. David Rozzell, CEO of Catylix, and Dr. John Chan, CEO of Aspira Scientific, will be available for discussions during the 2014 ACS Meeting and Exhibition in San Francisco on August 11 and 12, at Booth 1136.