Capsugel Launches Lipidex Encapsulating Platform from New Dosage Form Unit
Earlier this year, Capsugel formed a Dosage Form Solutions (DFS) Unit based at the firm’s Morristown, New Jersey headquarters in order to focus on lipid-based formulations. Four months on and the Unit has launched its Lipidex technology platform in order to serve the industry’s encapsulating needs for lipid, liquid and semi-solid filling.
Lipidex’ focus, Capsugel’s DFS Unit President Amit Patel told in-Pharmatechnologist.com, is to apply filling solutions to “any product formulation that may require increased bioavailability, faster absorption, dose uniformity, high potency, stability improvement,” as well as enhancing consumer characteristics of a capsule, such as taste, convenience and visual appeal.
He added that the platform “is unique in the industry in that it has unparalleled depth in formulation of lipids, liquids and semi-solids, as well as unparalleled breadth of innovative encapsulation options.”
This is due to the combination of Capsugel’s proprietary technologies and capabilities, integrated with those acquired from Encap when the company was bought in March, Patel continued to say.
The purchase of Encap Drug Delivery added two platforms to Capsugel’s arsenal in the forms of DuoCap and Encode targeted release technologies, as well as the world’s largest liquid and semi-solid filled capsule cGMP manufacturing facility in Livingston, UK with 15,000 sq ft of clean room area.
The deal became the third in a series of oral dose drug delivery takeovers in six months, with Mitsubishi buying Qualicaps in January and Patheon purchasing softgel specialist Banner Pharmacaps in October.
“Each year, we are also applying the Lipidex solution to nearly 50 pharmaceutical product projects for customers across segments, including OTC, generic drugs, specialty brands and new chemical entities.
“These projects span multiple therapeutic areas, such as oncology, gastro-intestinal, anti-infectives, hormone treatment and pain management.”
Capsugel’s Development Pipeline
Patel said the DFS Unit offers various advantages over its competitors, including the Lipidex solution being supplied to the entire range of product development and commercial manufacturing activities, from early formulation through final production, and leveraging its proprietary technology to help customers improve products.
Furthermore, Patel added the Unit was internally funding Capsugel’s own product development pipeline. In select instances, he said, this would be able to offer “more product opportunities that have proof-of-concept or that are ready-to-market to its customers through a partnership model.”
DFS Unit
According to Patel, Capsugel is “pleased” with how the DFS Unit has developed in the four months since its launch. On top of the Encap acquisition and the launch of Lipidex, the company has accelerated its technology innovation and infrastructure investments and undergone a number of active customer product projects, as well as commencing projects with new clients.
Though Patel acknowledged the industry is still becoming aware of the DFS business model and Capsugel’s capabilities, he said the Unit would be increasing its offerings in the coming months:
“In the near future, we plan to introduce to customers new innovations in the area of targeted release capsules, which can provide various advantages over traditional approaches to sustained, controlled and modified release products.”
