CDMO extends spray drying capacity for aqueous and organic solvent-based formulations

Micro-Sphere adds GEA PSD-3 spray dryer in response to increased demand in spray drying.

A dedicated production area houses a GEA PSD-3 spray dryer, which will extend the CDMO’s spray drying capacity for both aqueous and organic solvent-based formulations.

The new equipment is part of the CDMO’s recently announced 21 million CHF (€19 million) investment into expanding its GMP manufacturing capabilities at its facility in Switzerland and comes in response to increased demand for spray drying from companies ranging from Big Pharma to small virtual firms.

Micro-Sphere Founder and President of the Board, Dr Michele Müller, said: “Customer demand for GMP spray drying is increasing and this latest investment strengthens our production capabilities while also reaffirming our niche expertise in the market.

“The market response to our investment in our facility in Switzerland has been excellent and we are now implementing the upgrades and changes needed to offer greater capacity to handle larger quantities of pharmaceutical powders and commercial volumes of finished dosage forms.”

GEA’s technology for Spray Drying is based near Copenhagen in Denmark, where GEA develops and manufactures spray drying systems and has comprehensive test facilities for pharmaceutical customers.

Søren Terp Madsen, Product Manager at GEA added: “This new unit is equipped with the best available solutions in terms of spraying systems and cyclone for powder recovery: it offers excellent process reliability and is a great choice for Micro-Sphere in line with its continued expansion. We’re delighted to be a part of their exciting future.”