Avecia is a privately owned group of biotechnology companies with recognised leading positions in process development and manufacture of biological and oligonucleotide pharmaceuticals, with their international headquarters in Blackley, Manchester, United Kingdom.
The group's Biologics business, based in Billingham, UK has been developing processes and making protein-based biopharmaceuticals by microbial fermentation to cGMP since 1998. In Milford, Massachusetts the group's OligoMedicines business carries out process development and the manufacture of oligonucleotide therapeutics by sequential solid state synthesis to produce pharmaceuticals made of short strands of DNA or RNA. Products currently being worked on include medicines targeted at forms of cancer, heart conditions, stroke, growth and blood disorders. Customers range from some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to small innovative biotech start up businesses.
The current CEO of Avecia is Lord Buckmaster, also the current CFO of Avecia is Duncan McLellan.
In the early part of 2010 Avecia Biologics based in Billingham, England was bought by Merck and will become part of the organisation known as MSD.