Continuity Pharma Receives DARPA Grant for Continuous Manufacturing

The US Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has selected Continuity Pharma, a Purdue University-affiliated company, for a $1.5-million grant to develop continuous manufacturing technology for US-based manufacturing of generic drug products. As noted in an Oct. 6, 2020 press release, the COVID-19 pandemic has created supply chain gaps in critical drug products, and Continuity Pharma aims to apply novel continuous manufacturing capabilities to reshore generic drug products to the US, with a specific focus on drugs in short supply.

“We are thrilled to be selected by DARPA to further our development efforts,” said David Thompson, a Purdue professor of organic chemistry and co-founder and chief scientific officer at Continuity, in the press release. “We are one step closer to ensuring the availability of essential medicines to patients in need. It is an exciting time for Continuity Pharma.”

The grant includes development funding over the next 24 months, with additional funding for commercialization in the subsequent 12 months. Researchers will focus on developing the capability to manufacture multiple APIs in the group’s integrated continuous manufacturing system and expect to demonstrate efficient manufacturing and rapid changeover. Continuity Pharma is working with the Purdue Research Foundation on obtaining additional lab space in Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, IN.

Source: ​ Purdue​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​