Catalent signs agreement with Alk-Abello to expand Zydis production
Catalent Pharma Solutions and Danish pharmaceutical company ALK-Abello have signed an agreement that will enable a substantial increase in Zydis oral dissolving tablet production capacity.
Catalent Pharma Solutions and Danish pharmaceutical company ALK-Abello have signed an agreement that will enable a substantial increase in Zydis oral dissolving tablet production capacity.
ALK-Abello will fund a new production line for current and future tablet-based allergy products, which will be based at Catalent's Swindon, UK facility. Commercial production on the new line is currently expected to begin in 2010.
ALK-Abello has launched Grazax, a tablet-based vaccine against grass pollen allergy, using Catalent's innovative Zydis oral dissolving tablet technology, and Catalent is already producing the Zydis formulation of Grazax in the Swindon facility.
"The clinical success of Grazax demonstrates that protein-based products such as allergens can be taken orally by patients rather than via injection, and we believe Zydis provides unique advantages to deliver these and other types of novel compounds," said Thomas Stuart, group president of oral technologies for Catalent
Zydis can be swallowed without water and dissolves in the mouth in typically less than three seconds, Catalent says, Catalent recently established commercial-scale Zydis production in New Jersey as well as its UK site.