Patheon to install development capacity at French plant
The new unit, work on which is underway, will offer development-scale batch manufacturing services that compliment the late-stage trial tablet and capsule production capacity the Bourgoin-Jallieu plant already provides.
Spokesperson Wendy Wilson explained that, as well as being an “important step to growing European capability for solid dose products,” the new product development services (PDS) unit will be attractive to pharma firms seeking to cut costs.
She told Outsourcing-pharma that: “We recognised that clients have endured funding constraints and identified that by providing a one-stop-shop capability, significant savings can be achieved, particularly on technology transfer costs.
High potency development demand
Wilson went on to explain that:“Having both development and commercial capability for high potency compounds in the same location we regard as a competitive advantage.
“The Bourgoin site has a significant portfolio of existing clients from Europe and Japan, many of whom have expressed interest in this new development capability, particularly for high potency products.”
Wilson said that demand from Japan as being particularly strong, explaining that, since establishing an office in Tokyo in 2008, Patheon has “received numerous enquires from Japanese clients wishing to supply global markets from a European base, which the new facility will achieve pending full FDA approval.”
The PDS unit, which is due to become fully operational before the end of the year, will house a wide-variety of development technologies, including a 300L High shear mixer, Fluid bed dryer, wet and dry mills and a powder blender.
In a press statement CEO Wes Wheeler said that: “We currently provide our customers with solid dose Phase 3 and commercial supply from our facilities in North America. With this expansion we will offer the same service in Europe by the end of 2010.”
The contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) expanded a PDS unit at its sterile products facility in Ferentino, Italy last September.
