Through the deal Halo gains aseptic filling capacity for solid, liquid and topical dosage forms, as well as several packaging lines and considerable laboratory space that it plans to use for its preclinical and clinical development offering.
The site also holds US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) clearance for the manufacture of controlled drug substances and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which should serve the new firm well given the growing market for high-potency APIs.
The sale, financial terms of which are not being released, was first mooted in October last year as part of Abbott’s wide ranging consolidation strategy that has seen it focus on core products like Humira (adalimumab).
Halo president Douglas Kollmorgen said that the firm will retain 80 of the 134 staff previously employed at the site, explaining that the skilled and experienced workforce was a key motivation for making the acquisition in the first place.
This aspect of the purchase in particular is welcome news for New Jersey which saw companies like Par, Johnson & Johnson and Roche cut staffing levels at facilities in the region in 2008.
This Whippany facility’s track record was also emphasised by Halo’s vice president of quality, John Garvey, who commended Abbott for fostering a culture of regulatory compliance and diligence.
“These important foundational elements will enable the creation of a systems approach to quality with a focus on science-based, product-driven control frameworks that meet or exceed current [US Food and Drug Administration] FDA regulatory requirements,” added Garvey.