Supplier to the pharma, biotech and specialty ingredients markets, Lonza, has expanded its late-stage clinical and commercial encapsulation capabilities for solid oral and inhaled dosage forms in the US.
Tampa
This expansion involves the installation of a new Harro Hӧfliger Modu-C MS encapsulation unit (Harro unit) at its integrated product development and manufacturing facility in Tampa, Florida. This specialised drum-dosing technology is used for powder-in-capsule (PIC) filling for oral solid dosage forms including dry powder inhaler (DPI) applications.
Additionally, the company has scheduled the completion of a new dispensing area and two new processing suites by May 2018, which will broaden its capabilities for the handling of highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs).
“Our integrated full-service offering can reduce drug development timelines, complexity and costs, which are priorities for our customers,” said Robert Beland, site head for Lonza Tampa. “The Tampa site is well known for exceptional capabilities in Xcelodose-based encapsulation, inclusive of highly potent compound applications. The addition of the new Harro unit allows us to offer our customers the option of one partner from concept to market for their encapsulated drug products.”
“We listen to our customers’ needs and invest accordingly,” commented Gordon Bates, head of Chemical Division, Lonza Pharma & Biotech. “Expanding our capability into commercial-scale encapsulation responds to our customers’ desire to maintain programmes at the site from clinical development to commercialisation.”