This investment will significantly expand both capability and capacity of Drug Product Services (DPS) at the Stücki Science Park in Basel and will create more than 50 new positions. The expanded offering includes new capabilities for drug product process development.
DPS opened its laboratories in November 2016 with an initial focus on Formulation Development and Drug Product Analytical Development. This facility was recently granted a GMP license after a successful audit by Swissmedic allowing QC release and stability testing of drug products.
Marc Funk, COO of Lonza's Pharma & Biotech segment, said: “This significant expansion represents an important milestone in Lonza’s evolution to become a fully integrated drug development partner.
“With the recent acquisition of Capsugel, combined with DPS’s excellence in parenterals, we offer a wide range of services to meet our customers' drug product needs. Our expansion in Basel also signals Lonza's strong commitment to the local community."
The DPS team provides a holistic approach to drug product development, anticipating and preventing problems early and helping to ensure the product is optimal for manufacture, supply chain and patient use.
The DPS team provides a complete portfolio of services for parenteral dosage forms including products for injection and infusion for intravenous, subcutaneous and intraocular routes of administration.
These offerings also include specialised services, including the following:
- particulate identification, characterisation and quantification
- excipient and surfactant characterisation
- extractables and leachables assessment
- container closure integrity testing.
Professor Hanns-Christian Mahler, Lonza’s Head of Drug Product Services, said: “The expansion of Drug Product Services reflects the value that Lonza brings to our pharma and biotech customers through exceptional experience, a strong scientific track record and state-of-the-art instrumental infrastructure which enables them to accelerate and de-risk Drug Product development and commercialisation.”