Catalent invests in spray drying capacity

Catalent Pharma Solutions is increasing its spray drying capacity at its Pharmatek, San Diego, California facility in response to market demand for solubility enhancement solutions.

This investment will see the installation of an additional GEA Niro Mobile Minor unit to the San Diego site. Additionally, to further support the development of spray-dried dispersions, the company has also installed a third Gerties Mini-Pactor, which will be validated in early May.

“This is the first of several strategic investments that we have planned for the San Diego facility in the immediate future,” said Barry Littlejohns, president of Catalent’s Drug Delivery Solutions business. “Last year’s acquisition of Pharmatek, and its spray drying capabilities, enables us to provide customers with a comprehensive suite of solubility and bioavailability enhancement solutions, while complementing and expanding Catalent’s OptiForm Solution Suite platform, our science-driven parallel screening approach to identify customers the optimal formulation pathway for poorly soluble compounds.”

Catalent, global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health products, acquired Pharmatek Laboratories in September 2016. This acquisition added extensive early-phase drug development capabilities from preclinical to clinic, brought spray-drying into the company’s portfolio of drug formulation and delivery technologies and expanded its capability for handling highly potent compounds.