The US small molecule CDMO’s new, three-story building will incorporate process technology, QC and analytical development laboratories. The process technology laboratories will expand the company’s capacity, providing an area where R&D and production teams can work together on scale-up demonstration and technology transfer, including new capabilities in the scaling up of potent molecules requiring containment.
The facility will employ computer modelling to optimise reactor set-ups and plant conditions to improve technology transfer and the performance of existing processes.
The new laboratory also includes high-pressure reaction vessels and crystallisation equipment in order to optimise drug substance manufacturing, as well as expanding the temperature range at which reactions can be carried out, with vessels to handle conditions from cryogenic to nearly 200°C.
Another addition is the new QC and analytical development laboratories, which increase the capacity and capabilities for handling in-process and raw material analysis.
To support the site’s recent growth, which has included the expansion of large scale manufacturing capacity, a new US$6 million, 3,000 sqm logistics centre has also been completed and opened. This includes a fully cGMP-compliant warehouse with integral temperature monitoring and control, and has the capacity for 4,500 pallets.
“This expansion and investments we have made at Karlskoga are part of an ongoing strategic programme to ensure it has the flexibility, capacity and capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the market and industry,” said Bjarne Sandberg, Managing Director, Cambrex Karlskoga. “The new technical laboratory will act as a hub for the company’s engineers, operators and chemists to ensure smooth scale up and handover of processes from development sites across our global network.”
Cambrex’s site in Karlskoga employs over 400 people and features a wide range of flexible manufacturing facilities including 4 cGMP pilot plants and 7 full-scale commercial production units.
