Catalent to invest $5 million to create new drug development centre of excellence

Provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health products, Catalent Pharma Solutions, has revealed its plans to invest $5 million in the creation of a new drug development centre of excellence (CoE) at its Somerset, New Jersey facility and headquarters.

Through this investment, the company will build on the site’s expertise in the development of modified release formulation, bioavailability solutions, the application of OptiMelt hot melt extrusion (HME) technology and its status as the company’s CoE for handling potent compounds and controlled substances. Additionally, it will drive a focus on preclinical to clinical phase IIb formulation, analytical and manufacturing solutions for orally delivered small molecules.

“This latest investment in Somerset will significantly strengthen our early development offering with focused formulation expertise and capacity for additional speed and flexibility,” said Jonathan Arnold, president of Catalent’s Oral Drug Delivery business unit. “It is highly complementary to Catalent’s West Coast facility in San Diego, California, and further positions Catalent as the strategic partner of choice for the early development of solid oral dose forms.”