Following the installation of GEA’s Niro Mobile Minor equipment, Spanish contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) Idifarma has announced the spray drying technology is operational.
The firm is offering contract spray drying services for highly potent drugs – up to occupational exposure limit or occupational exposure band category four – as well as non-potent drugs, at its 4,000 square-foot plant in Pamplona, Spain.
According to co-founder Luis Oquiñena, the investment was driven by client demand, as industry looks to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
“As a relatively small CDMO with 120-FTE, we normally attract SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] as clients. We feel that we fit better with their goals, costs and flexibility requirements than bigger CDMOs,” he told us.
“Solid dispersions of cytotoxics [have been] the most common requests since we announced the investment in a good manufacturing practice [GMP] spray drying facility,” he added.
The firm has observed a majority of interest from Europe, but Oquiñena told us there is also demand in the US and Japan.
Idifarma also announced a successful GMP inspection by Spanish authorities.
