The expansion, that will add state-of-the-art manufacturing and product-handling solutions for complex small molecules, will extend to new vessel capacities that will more than double the site’s batch-size scaling and product output capabilities.

The company said the capacity upgrade and engineering and technology advances are designed to enhance manufacturing flexibility, efficiency and scale in addition to optimizing energy usage and offering enhanced environmental standards. It will allow the introduction of new products and help meet growing customer demand for reliable high potency active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the US, from small-scale batches to large volume orders.

With the expansion, Curia will add new technical jobs at the more than 100-year-old plant, which currently manufactures more than 50 products. With 23 sites and 3,400 employees across the United States, Europe and Asia, the company produces in France, Spain, Italy and India.

Earlier in August, Curia submitted an application to the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to manufacture a dozen controlled substances including marijuana, oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl from the Rensselaer plant.

In late July, the company announced plans to acquire two CDMOs, Integrity Bio and Lake Pharma. Camarillo, California-based Integrity, with 110 employees, specializes in injectables. With Lake Pharma, which employs 235 people at six sites in California, Massachusetts and Texas, Curia said it will be able to expand its viral vector repertoire and capitalize on opportunities in the cell and gene therapy arena.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist