Case Study: Particology
Based at Discovery Park since its founding, Particology is an expert particle science contract research organisation on a mission to keep world-class scientific talent in Kent — and to change the way medicines are made.
Particology provides integrated, end-to-end particle science and technology services to clients ranging from emerging life science companies to global pharmaceutical organisations. With state-of-the-art lab facilities at Discovery Park, the team combines deep technical expertise with strategic insight across the whole drug development lifecycle, uniquely positioned to help deliver molecules through to manufacture.
Founded in 2024 by seven co-founders — all formerly of Pfizer — the company has more than doubled in size to 16 team members and counting, offering services to clients across pharmaceutical, food, agriculture and cosmetics industries.
Behind the innovation
When Pfizer restructured its Sandwich site, a group of scientists with over 150 years of collective industry experience saw an opportunity. Rather than relocate, they took a leap — founding Particology to keep specialist scientific talent in Kent and create new employment opportunities close to home.
Ivan Marziano, Chief Scientific & Innovation Officer, explains Particology’s drug development philosophy: “When you look at drug development, most of the emphasis is on the synthesis of the active ingredient and then on its formulation, but there’s an often neglected area between the two. Essentially, we aim to fill that space to make sure that when you complete your synthesis and turn your active ingredient into particles, these have the right chemical and physical attributes to ensure successful formulation.”
Two years on, the company is going from strength to strength. Celebrating its second anniversary in April 2026, Particology recently doubled its write-up space to accommodate a growing team, and has established itself as a serious player in particle science services — with an increasingly global client base.
In 2025, Particology was part of an £8.2M Government-funded research consortium aimed at making medicines manufacturing more efficient and sustainable. The project — named InSPIREmed (Integrated Spectroscopy and Photonics for Increased Productivity and Resource Efficiency in Medicines Manufacture) — is one of eight “Grand Challenge” projects funded through Innovate UK’s £54M Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme, and runs until 2029.
Particology is leading the consortium’s work on the crystallisation of active pharmaceutical ingredients, using advanced photonic and spectroscopic techniques to study crystals in greater detail than ever before. Crystallisation is a critical step in drug development, purifying active ingredients before they are packaged as tablets or capsules. Particology’s research will enable real-time confirmation of crystallisation quality — meaning medicines can be produced with fewer materials, less waste and lower energy use. Initial testing will focus on paracetamol and other common medicines, with the ambition of developing new technology for manufacturers worldwide, driving economic growth and positioning the UK as a global leader in sustainable medicines manufacturing. The investment has already enabled Particology to hire a new Spectroscopy Research Associate, based on-site in Sandwich
“Looking back at how far we’ve come in two years, and then looking at what’s ahead — the international partnerships, the Innovate UK programme, the collaborations in the pipeline — it’s hard not to feel excited. Particology was founded to prove that world-class science could thrive in Kent, and every day we’re proving exactly that.”
— John Murphy, COO, Particology
Future growth plans
With its domestic foundations firmly in place, Particology’s focus for 2026 is international growth — with particular attention on Asian markets. The team is working with the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade and is already collaborating with a new client in Japan. Particology also has a trip to Singapore planned later in the year alongside the British Chambers of Commerce as part of their latest Trade Accelerator, assessed as one of 10 Life Sciences SMEs with the greatest potential to grow sales in South-East Asia.
Particology has also announced a new collaboration with Micropore Technologies, focused on accelerated exploration of particle diversity. The programme will evaluate the AXF™mini — an advanced crossflow device used for discovery, preclinical and clinical applications across a wide range of particle sizes — combining precision particle engineering with polymorph screening.
Sustainable medicines manufacturing remains a defining area of expertise for the team. Work on the InSPIREmed programme continues, with new instruments for particle sizing and spectroscopy in development. Particology is also set to take a leading role in a sustainability-themed industry event at Discovery Park in October 2026.
