Capsugel expands capabilities for early-phase development through commercial manufacturing

Capabilities expanded across multiple locations in Europe.

“We have taken several of Capsugel’s proprietary technology platforms that have demonstrated advantages with customer product development programs and begun implementing them across multiple sites in our global network,” said Amit Patel, Sr. Vice President and President, Dosage Forms, Capsugel. “This expansion and standardization of our offerings throughout our network allows us to better serve a wider range of customers in more locations, which can help them accelerate speed-to-market, minimize costs and experience enhanced service levels.”

Early-phase design

Capsugel is installing a proprietary spray-drying unit at its Ploërmel facility later this year to complement the industry-leading technology, expertise and formulation capabilities pioneered at its Bend, Ore. facility in the US. The company also has bolstered the Ploërmel facility’s micro-dosing service offering for early-phase feasibility work with the addition of the latest generation of its proprietary Xcelodose 600S Precision Micro-Dosing System. The system provides expanded capacity and industry-leading powder-in-capsule expertise leveraging the best practices established at Capsugel’s operations in Tampa, Fla., in the US. The company also plans to bring both its micro-dosing and spray-drying technologies to its Edinburgh location in 2017.

Formulation R&D in live biotherapeutics

Live biotherapeutics, including microbiome, represent a growing area of industry research and development. To meet the increasing number of customers that require this expertise, the company’s Strasbourg R&D facility, with specialized capabilities for the formulation of microbiome products, will open a new containment lab in the fourth quarter.

Manufacturing expansion

Expanded commercial manufacturing capacity for lipid-based formulations (LBF) using liquid fill hard capsules (LFHC), softgels or lipid multiparticulates is now online at Capsugel’s Edinburgh and Ploërmel sites. Both facilities have expertise in manufacturing LBFs containing high-potency active pharmaceutical ingredients. LBF technologies are a key component in the company’s bioavailability enhancement offering.