The new roller compaction unit uses a continuous production step that enhances product uniformity. The addition of the unit follows an increase in market demand for pharmaceutical formulation technologies that enable the formulation of APIs otherwise inhibited by the presence of water.
The company is committed to capitalising on the presence of its German sites in Monheim and Zwickau, having identified the German pharma economy as a growth area. This latest investment follows other recent investments in the region, including a new tablet coater capability and pouch packing line.
Tomasz Zytkiewicz, Site Director at Zwickau, told us: "In general, a major advantage of dry granulation over wet granulation is that no water or organic solvents as liquid binder are required in process. In wet granulation typical liquids include water, ethanol, iso-propanol (often in combination). The most useable liquid is water for ecological and economical reasons. Its disadvantages are that it can adversely affect drug stability leading to hydrolysis of product, and it requires a longer drying time than the organic solvent. Additionally moisture can lead to crystallisation that effect dissolution rates and can entail caking and clumping of powders."
Ian Muir, managing director of finished dose at Aesica, said: “This new investment aligns with our strategy of investing in our German sites to broaden capabilities, which is expanding our domestic market share within Germany, whilst allowing us to offer new services to our global customers. The dry granulation capability will drive business growth as customers with moisture sensitive APIs seek appropriate technologies, and crucially, experienced CDMOs that can deliver their products.”