The low-volume blow-fill-seal (BFS) process has a throughput speed of 2,000 doses per hour and can be easily adapted for a range of different product types and dosage designs, Recipharm said.

“By investing in new BFS technologies like Lab+, we are able to fully support our customers through both Phase I and II clinical projects. This new machinery means we can make small batches and removes the need to dedicate a whole filling line to one project,” said site manager Yves Buelens, adding that the technology supports proof-of-concept, feasibility batches (cGMP & non-cGMP) and clinical I and II batches.

Lab+ is operated under cleanroom conditions ideal for ophthalmic, injectable formulations, pulmonary products and sensitive large-molecule formulations with stability issues, Recipharm said.

Earlier this month, the Stockholm-based firm announced that it had invested in a new high-speed filling line for pre-filled syringes and cartridges at its facility in Wasserburg, Germany, in response to increasing customer demand.

The line, which will be able to support both small- and large-volume projects, is expected to be ready for technical trials by April 2023, with the first GMP batch run scheduled for May 2023. The Wasserburg plant specializes in more complex formats that range from lyophilization technology and aseptic filling into vials, syringes and cartridges.

CEO Marc Funk said demand for pre-filled syringes is growing rapidly, with the market expected to be worth $6.5 billion by 2030.

These latest investments are part of Recipharm’s wider growth plan under which it is investing in other additional fill & finish facilities in France, Italy, India and Morocco.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist