GSK extends Catalent softgel contract

US CMO Catalent has had its Lovaza softgel manufacturing contract with UK drug major GSK extended.

Under the deal, the contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) will supply GSK with Lovaza omega-3 acid ethyl esters in soft gelatin capsules. Production will be carried out at its facility in St Petersburg, Florida by the firm’s oral technologies unit.

GSK obtained the hyperlipidiemia drug Lovaza when it bought Reliant Pharmaceuticals for $1.65bn in 2007.

The drug itself, was licensed by Reliant from Pronova BioPharma, was launched in 2005 and holds approximately 10 per cent of the $2.2bn non-statin dyslipidemia segment of the US cardiovascular market.