DFE Pharma to help Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre improve oral solid dosage formulations

Excipient manufacturer DFE Pharma has partnered with the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre in an effort to help improve the development of oral solid dosage medicines.

The Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre is a collaboration between CPI, the University of Strathclyde and founding industry partners, GSK and AstraZeneca, with funding provided by Scottish Enterprise and UK Research and Innovation. The centre is running a series of ‘Grand Challenge’ projects that are looking to increase productivity and patient outcomes in the pharmaceutical industry.

The new partnership with DFE Pharma will focus on Grand Challenge 1, which aims to develop a novel digitally-twinned continuous direct compression (CDC) platform to reduce waste and cut costs during the manufacture of oral dosage medicines. 

DFE Pharma will work with the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre on excipient characterisation and functionality, quality by design, powder technology, special cause variation and commercial high volume continuous production.

The partnership will build of DFE Pharma’s existing contributions to Grand Challenge 1, which includes the supply of direct compression excipients that have been particle-engineered for the CDC platform.

As a partner in the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, DFE Pharma will provide excipient characterisation techniques, consulting from its senior specialists, and data insights. It’s hoped that this could significantly reduce the number of trials needed to develop the CDC platform and potentially prove invaluable in the progression of Phase 2 and future Grand Challenges to advance the development of next-generation pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.

John Arthur, director of Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre at CPI, said: “We are excited to be collaborating with global excipient manufacturer DFE Pharma; well-respected in the market for its excellence in particle technology and particle and process interactions. This partnership will enable Phase 1 of Grand Challenge 1 to be delivered more quickly and cost-effectively.”

Bas van Driel, CEO at DFE Pharma, said: “We are delighted to establish a closer relationship with the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, the UK’s leading initiative to drive innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, to help ensure the success of Grand Challenge 1. This unique opportunity will allow us to work alongside and showcase our world-class capabilities in excipient development to the other partners.”