Catalent is to add new coating and blister packaging equipment at its 360,000 square feet, Eberbach, Germany softgel manufacturing facility, expanding the softgels available.
Coating services are expected to be operational in early 2015, with the packaging equipment expected to be online in the middle of the calendar year.
The new coating equipment, designed to coat softgels for controlled, enteric and targeted release, will be capable of processing more than 300 million capsules per year and complements Catalent’s existing softgel coating capability at the company’s 78,000 square feet, Beinheim, France facility.
Catalent says it has conducted extensive studies to demonstrate the advantages of film coating softgels, including their physical stability protection under high storage temperatures and humidity.
"Providing an integrated service enhances process efficiency and control, and so improves supply lead time, potentially enabling our customers to reduce safety stock and extend product shelf life upon delivery,” said Dr. Richard Lackner, General Manager, Catalent Pharma Solutions, Eberbach.
As the originator of the RP Scherer softgel rotary die process, Catalent continues to innovate with new, breakthrough softgel technologies such as OptiShell, a plant-derived capsule suitable for complex fill formulations, OptiGel Bio for macromolecules, and OptiGel Lock designed for abuse deterrence.