Pharma Capsules

Expansions

Catalent Opens UK Warehouse

Catalent Pharma Solutions (Somerset, NJ) opened a new temperature-controlled warehouse in Bolton, Lancashire, England, to meet increased customer demand for clinical-supply services, especially cold-chain storage and distribution. The new warehouse is a purpose-built extension of the company's existing facility in Bolton.

The new storage site is fully operational. It contains 11,800 ft² of space, 2000 controlled ambient-storage locations, and a 320-pallet refrigerator. Catalent plans to constantly enhance its capability to support global programs requiring cold-chain storage and distribution of clinical materials.

Patheon Completes Intermediate-Scale Processing Facility

Patheon (Mississauga, ON, Canada), a global provider of drug-development and manufacturing services to the international pharmaceutical industry, completed a new intermediate-scale processing suite (ISPS), located at its Cincinnati, Ohio, facility. The ISPS provides increased manufacturing capacity and complements Patheon's development and commercial-scale facilities.

The ISPS's equipment includes an intermediate-scale high-shear granulator and a fluid-bed dryer with solvent and high-potency compound handling capabilities. The new suite will allow the production of batch sizes ranging from 35 to 115 kg and enable Patheon to meet the development, clinical, registration, scale-up, validation, and commercial requirements of its customers. In addition, the ISPS will provide flexibility in scheduling experiments on a large scale and use less active pharmaceutical ingredient compared with commercial scale processing.

Meissner Purchases Manufacturing Plant

Meissner Filtration Products (Camarillo, CA) closed escrow on a 172,077-ft² facility in Camarillo, that is ideally suited for use as the company's corporate headquarters. Meissner will lease the building to its current occupant for two and a half years before consolidating two locations into the new facility.

"By making the acquisition at this time, we are assured that we can sustain growth without experiencing space limitations," stated Christopher Meissner, the company's chief executive officer, in a press release. "With this acquisition, we have solved our need not only for additional manufacturing space, but also for laboratory space. Furthermore, with 68,000 ft² of office space, the new facility is well suited to meet our requirements for research and development, engineering, quality, and training."

Azopharma Expands Cyanta Facility

Azopharma (Hollywood, FL) completed the expansion of its Cyanta Analytical Laboratories facility in Maryland Heights, Missouri. The expansion includes 10,000 ft² of additional laboratory and office space and nearly doubles the operating space of the inhalation-services facility. The new space is contiguous with the current Cyanta facility, which the company occupied in December 2007.

A recent audit by the US Food and Drug Administration resulted in no Warning Letters or observations, and Cyanta's quality systems and expanded laboratory space are ready to support clients' new programs. The new facility includes instrumentation specific to the development of inhalation devices and pharmaceutical products.

ABC Labs Opens Pharmaceutical Facility

Analytical Bio-Chemistry (ABC) Laboratories (Columbia, MO) officially inaugurated its new 90,000-ft² pharmaceutical development facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. The event marked the completion of a carefully orchestrated transition of the company's drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, bioanalytical, and current good manufacturing practice analytical operations to the new facility, as well as the company's 40th anniversary. The new facility, located at the University of Missouri's Discovery Ridge Research Park, more than doubles the company's previous capacity and will accommodate projected growth through 2012.

The company will continue operating its chemical services and synthesis operations at its original campus east of Columbia. The expansion at Discovery Ridge frees up space needed for those business areas to grow. ABC Laboratories plans to renovate existing structures in 2009 to optimize operational efficiency.

People

Tegrant Names New President

Tegrant (Arlington Heights, IL) promoted Colleen Bohn to the position of president of ThermoSafe Brands. Bohn joined Tegrant in February 2008 as vice-president of strategy and business optimization and played a key role in the daily management of ThermoSafe Brands. She led the implementation of a new planning process and the enhancement of internal procedures and controls.

Colleen Bohn, president of ThermoSafe Brands

Before joining Tegrant, Bohn was vice-president of strategy and marketing for The ProAction Group, a Chicago-based consulting company, and head of strategy for American National Can's beverage-can business in North and South America.