Catalent Pharma Solutions has made it to the headlines for its recent announcement regarding the expansion of its primary packaging capabilities at its clinical facility based in Shanghai, China. Apparently, the facility has reached the commissioning stage and is estimated to reach completion by the end of 2018.
As per trusted sources, the expansion will comprise a new automated high-speed bottling line appropriate for products like capsules and tablets. The plant will result in improved packaging capacity by approximately 100 bottles per minute and offer quick and easy changeover, which is essential for clinical-scale production, cite sources.
Roel de Nobel, Vice President of Global Operations, Clinical Supply Services at Catalent, stated that the company’s ceaseless investments in the Asia Pacific belt represent the importance and continual growth of clinical trials in Asia, fueling the need for in-region packaging services.
According to sources familiar with the development, the expansion came post the announcement declaring the construction of a new clinical facility outside Shanghai’s free trade zone.
Reportedly, the new facility is estimated to be completed by early 2019 and will accompany company’s 3 existing clinical packaging facilities in the Asia Pacific, based in Shanghai’s Waigaoqiao FTZ, Kakegawa in Japan, and Singapore.
Sources claim that besides its main packaging capabilities, the company also extends comprehensive clinical supply services in the region, such as FastChain demand-led supply, comparator sourcing, clinical supply management, secondary packaging, clinical returns & destruction, and storage & global distribution.
Back in March, Catalent reportedly acquired Australia’s Pharmapak Technologies, a pharmaceutical packaging business specializing in creating primary and secondary packaging to cater to oral pharmaceutical dose forms such as bottles, blisters, and assorted tertiary packaging services, stated a news report published by the Compelo.
For the record, Catalent Pharma Solutions has over 11,000 employees and runs more than 30 facilities throughout five continents. The company’s revenue for the fiscal year of 2018 is said to be around $2.5 billion, cite trusted sources.
