Inhalation specialist Vectura invests to expand manufacturing capabilities

Vectura's facilities in Chippenham, UK

The enhancements will include installing the lever-operated multi-dose inhaler device used in Hikma’s generic Advair product, which the FDA recently approved

Investment has been made at the site to install a new capsule filler, a capsule blister packer, and a Mikron semi-automated device assembly machine. The company said these enhancements would support work with capsule inhaler devices, Vectura’s open inhale close device and the lever-operated multi-dose inhaler device used in Hikma’s generic Advair product, which the FDA recently approved.

Work on the project has started and the new capabilities are scheduled to be available from Q2 2021. Vectura said the expansion will "significantly increase" the capabilities it has in DPI dosage form development, both unit dose and multi-dose inhalers, and integrated device design and manufacturing for customer programmes.

The new semi-automated device assembly line will help meet demand for Vectura’s blister-based, multi-dose DPI devices, offering increased capacity to manufacture up to 1 million devices per year.

Mark Bridgewater, Chief Commercial Officer said: “The investment in new equipment will complement existing blister-based platform capabilities to offer customers greater flexibility, alongside our other inhalation delivery platforms, to provide patients with new inhaled therapies.”