CDMO invests in ‘solid’ growth

JPS announces major investment and facility expansion, focused on oral solid dose manufacturing

Ilene Schneider
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NOTTINGHAM, U.K.—Juniper Pharma Services (JPS), a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in the development of challenging small molecules, has made major investments in equipment and facilities.
 
In 1997, an academic group at the University of Nottingham founded Molecular Profiles Ltd. to deliver sophisticated analytical and intellectual property consultancy services to the pharmaceutical industry. In September 2013, U.S.-based Columbia Laboratories, now known as Juniper Pharmaceuticals, acquired the Nottingham Molecular Profiles facility, which eventually became JPS. Operating as a wholly owned subsidiary, JPS now works closely with its parent company for the delivery of its successful product CRINONE 8% (progesterone gel), as well as its contract services.
 
The company develops small molecules for oral and topical dosage forms and offers services ranging from preclinical to commercial development and manufacturing. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the company’s services and focus are designed to bring products to clinical trials quickly and safely, even when they are difficult drug development projects. JPS supports a range of pharmaceutical companies, from biotechs to leading drug developers.
 
JPS is continuing its strategic investment in oral solid dose manufacturing by purchasing $1.7 million worth of new processing equipment. This strategic investment enhances JPS’ commitment to rapidly transform promising molecules into successful products for unmet medical needs. JPS hopes the investment will ultimately result in vital medicines reaching patients faster.
 
JPS has invested in three pieces of top-specification solid dosage processing equipment: a Gerteis MINI-PACTOR roller compactor, a KG Pharma RoTab Bilayer tablet press and an O’Hara Labcoat Film Coater. After the successful implementation and high client demand for the original set of this equipment one year ago, JPS decided to invest in a duplicate process chain that became fully operational by the end of June.
 
The new equipment, which is located in Juniper Pharma Services’ Nottingham-based clinical manufacturing site, is expected to support client demands and deadlines by improving efficiency of drug production timelines. JPS’ sustained investment in solid oral dosage processing equipment is in keeping with the increasing demand in the development of orphan and precision medicines and low-volume commercial manufacturing.
 
According to Claire Madden-Smith, senior vice president at Juniper Pharma Services, “This significant investment signals our commitment to expanding our services to meet with the growing demand in solid oral dosage form development—a demand that is particularly prominent for difficult-to-formulate compounds in which JPS specializes. Our new equipment will greatly contribute to the niche manufacturing requirements of our clients and enable JPS to work towards solving even more drug development challenges for unmet medical needs.”
 
JPS has also announced a significant expansion to its U.K.-based drug development and clinical trial manufacturing facilities. Four additional process development laboratories are set to be operational by the end of summer 2018 at the Nottingham site, improving the output and efficiency of drug development and clinical manufacturing operations. The new facilities demonstrate the company’s growth in the drug development arena and increasing commitment to solving tough formulation challenges.
 
The new laboratory space will enable JPS to work with an increasing client base to transform poorly soluble and difficult-to-formulate molecules into successful products. JPS hopes that the expansion will ensure that processing and formulation work is scalable, enabling the efficient manufacture of stable clinical batches. The new facilities, combined with the company’s long-standing experience in drug formulation development, “is desirable to many pharmaceutical clients and enhances the company’s reputation as a leading CDMO in the U.K. and globally,” the company said.
 
According to Nikin Patel, president of Juniper Pharma Services, “The expansion demonstrates Juniper Pharma Services’ growth in the drug development arena and its increasing commitment to solving tough formulation challenges. We are always exploring opportunities to extend our service offerings to meet the evolving requirements of our market and clients. This facility expansion, which has significantly increased Juniper Pharma Services’ capacity, is the latest effort in this endeavor.”

Ilene Schneider

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