Lonza Adding Manufacturing Capabilities to cGMP Plant

Chemicals and biotechnology firm Lonza is adding 11 new suites to its cGMP manufacturing plant in Bend, OR to increase the site’s particle engineering capabilities and drug production capacity, the company announced in a release Monday.

“We continue to see increased demand for development, clinical, and commercial manufacture of particle-engineered intermediates and finished drug products,” Paul Granberry, managing director of Lonza Bend, said in a statement. “Dedicated, fit-for-purpose suites, infrastructure, and systems are critical for supporting the needs of our customers’ early-phase programs.”

The first phase of the project, slated to come online in December 2020, includes new spray-drying, tableting, and encapsulation capabilities. Other suites will support the development and production of drug intermediates and drug products with the addition of new technology for spray drying, hot-melt extrusion, and melt-spray-congeal processing. One suite will be installed for non-cGMP formulation and process development.

“Our customers look to Lonza to rapidly advance challenging molecules and meet increasingly difficult target product profiles. We listed, and this new investment is aimed directly at meeting those needs,” said Christian Dowdeswell, vice president and global head of commercial development for Lonza’s Small Molecules business, in the release.

Lonza’s Small Molecules business unit also operates the Center of Excellence for bioavailability and inhaled delivery at the Bend site.

Last month, Powder & Bulk Solids reported that Alain Ruffieux officially started his new role as the company’s chief executive officer, replacing board chairman Albert M. Baehny who served as CEO ad interim over the last year.