The investment forms part of the company’s broader strategy to build differentiated and enabling capabilities and assets to meet customers’ needs for manufacturing oral dosage forms.

“With this investment in continuous tableting, our customers can rely on our support to bring much needed medicines to the market as fast as possible with the highest quality and manufacturing standards,” said CEO Jean-Luc Herbeaux. “We are investing to accelerate the adoption of this technology as we continue to innovate and enhance our offering around our areas of expertise.”

Hovione added that continuous manufacturing is expected to change the landscape of drug product development and commercial production. It noted that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is partnering with the International Council for Harmonization and leading a global initiative to advance continuous manufacturing of small molecules and other pharmaceutical modalities.

Last October, the FDA released its Q13 draft guidance for the continuous manufacturing of drug substances and drug products.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist