Torbay Pharma goes global after staggering commercial success

A Torbay manufacturing company is out to conquer the world.

Torbay Pharma, a Paignton-based pharmaceuticals maker with over 50 years of expertise, has seen significant growth since being acquired by private investors in November last year.

In less than 12 months its workforce has topped the 250-mark with 49 new employees recruited. The company has also expanded its global footprint to over 20 countries with its sights firmly set now on American markets.

Notably, the company appointed Mohammed Nazir as Chief Operations Officers and Tara Silvey as Chief Product Officer earlier this year, bolstering its Food and Drug Administration approval strategy and positioning it to meet critical drug shortages in the US market. 

Chief Executive Officer Emma Rooth also won the prestigious Inspiring Change Leader of the Year award, highlighting the company’s transformative journey under her leadership.

Torbay Pharma was acquired by private investors NorthEdge, a private equity firm that invests in technology, healthcare, business services and specialised industrials sectors, only 10 months ago. Since then it has gone from strength to strength.

In May of 2024, Torbay Pharma brought in Mohammed Nazir as COO and Tara Silvey as CPO. The joint hire not only strengthened the company’s leadership team but added a significant boost to its North American Growth Strategy.

The US represents a huge growth opportunity for Torbay Pharma, which is focused on achieving FDA approval in the near future. CEO Emma Rooth says: "The current state of play in the US health sector presents a significant opportunity. It’s not only a chance for us to enter a new and exciting market, but also bolster our supply chain which gives us resilience.

“Many of the products we manufacture, right here in Devon, are already top of the shortage list in the US. I see us as playing an indispensable role Stateside.”

Torbay Pharma’s growth isn’t limited to team members alone The business has made capital investment into its ‘High-Speed Vial’ line, giving the team additional bandwidth to meet customer demand.

Renowned for its specialist expertise in the filling of injectables into both plastic and glass containers, Torbay Pharma has become something of a market leader in this space. This is one area where there has been huge demand, particularly within North America. 

CEO Emma says there are even bigger ambitions for the future. She said: "We’re all energised for what’s to come. We are building a growing client base and networks in new territories. Each new opportunity for the business is an opportunity for our people. The future of Torbay Pharma is bright indeed.” 

Torbay Pharma, a sterile injectable contract manufacturer and licence holder,  was established in the 1970s as part of the Torbay and Devon NHS Foundation Trust. It has grown to a 250-plus strong team serving an international client base of healthcare organisations and pharmaceutical companies. It received investment from private equity firm NorthEdge and became Torbay Pharmaceuticals Ltd.