Hovione and Particle Sciences to speed up drug solubilisation

Published: 9-Jun-2011

Aim to maximise bioavailability of BSC Class II active pharmaceutical ingredients


Hovione, a Portuguese API specialist, is to collaborate with drug development services provider Particle Sciences Inc (PSI) in order to speed development projects targeting poorly water-soluble drugs.

The two companies will pool their solid solution technologies based on spray drying capabilities to target ways of maximising the bioavailability of BCS Class II active pharmaceutical ingredients. Development will be fast-tracked at both companies, with PSI developing the solubilisation process and resulting drug product for their clients and Hovione managing the scale-up and industrialisation of the spray drying process.

Dave Hoffman, president, Hovione US operations, said: ‘It is truly incredible how versatile and useful spray-drying technology is. We have used it from a gram scale to tons, with important timesavings on the scale-up to manufacture products where other technologies failed. Teaming up with PSI will give their customers an integrated solution which will allow us to go from drug product and process design to feasibility and development to industrial application in record time.’

Mark Mitchnick, chief executive of Particle Sciences, based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, US, added: ‘We have a variety of drug delivery platforms, some of which are best scaled through spray drying. Our contribution is to develop products that maximise clinical effect, and after that Hovione takes over with its technological and industrial expertise and regulatory compliance. We will really be able to save our clients quite a lot of time.’

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