Lonza, a global manufacturing partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech and nutraceutical markets, today inaugurated its new facility at the Colmar (FR) site. The new Innovaform™ Accelerator will serve as a Center of Excellence for developing and innovating capsule-based manufacturing and delivery solutions for oral and pulmonary administration.
Oral administration of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is the preferred route of administration by patients worldwide. However, most new entities face solubility and bioavailability challenges that lead to limited absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Developing formulation strategies can solve these challenges by boosting solubility and absorption under biorelevant conditions. These challenges may also require capsule functionality to precisely target drug release. The new offering targets small molecules and extends to oral peptides, proteins, monoclonal antibodies and nucleic acid-based therapeutics.
The expert team and technology platforms based in the new state-of-the-art facility allow drug developers to leverage decades of experience and expertise in formulation and encapsulation technologies. The offering also provides customized capsules for proof-of-concept evaluation and includes the development and testing of innovative delivery solutions based on the award-winning Capsugel® Enprotect® technology platform
Lonza’s expert team can provide support with formulation development, capsule customization, selection of encapsulation process parameters, compatibility studies, controlled release testing, and scale-up manufacturing assessments to meet the unique requirements of each API and bring innovative drug products to market faster and more efficiently.
Christian Seufert, President, Capsules & Health Ingredients, Lonza, commented: “The Innovaform™ Innovation and Formulation Accelerator represents a unique solution for drug developers seeking to solve complex dosage form and delivery challenges through innovation. This service extension plays a critical role in our commitment to innovating together with our customers and provides our customers with the ability to accelerate their development timelines and reduce scale-up and manufacturing costs.”
The inauguration event was attended by representatives from Innovaform™ customers, Biograil Aps, a biotech company developing a unique oral device for delivery of therapeutics that would otherwise have to be injected, along with Covis Pharma, a global top 10 respiratory pharmaceutical company. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a tour of the facility, and presentations showcasing the team’s technical and scientific expertise.
