The size of the investment by the Madrid-based active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) firm has not been disclosed but Idifarma business development director Manuel Leal Sánchez told this publication both companies, and their customers, will benefit from the deal.
“Suanfarma is acquiring the shares previously owned by three VC companies in Idifarma. The management of the company, our business model and the services we provide will remain unchanged, but we will count with the help of Suanfarma to grow faster internationally,” he said.
Suanfarma has a strong presence in the US, India, China, Brazil and Mexico, he continued, which fellow Spain-based firm Idifarma is keen to capitalise on.
“Suanfarma's position in those markets might help Idifarma to gain additional clients in those areas, - especially outside of Europe - since Suanfarma is esentially an API supplier, which is usually the previous step for any of our clients to outsourcing the pharmaceutical development and/or manufacturing of their products to Idifarma.
“There can be positive synergies for everyone involved: the clients, Suanfarma and Idifarma.”
While the deal is more focused on share ownership than boosting capabilities, but according to Leal Sánchez, Idifarma has continually invested in spray drying technologies to address clients’ low solubility challenges.
The 3,500m2 site in Pamplona houses an analytical laboratory, formulation laboratory and a GMP plant containing a complete spray drying suite equipped with a lab-scale Buchi B290 and a pilot-scale Gea Niro Mobile Minor.