Idifarma invests in automatic capsule filling capabilities

Idifarma’s facility in Pamplona, Spain.

Investment enables the CDMO to provide a one-stop-shop service from lab-scale development to manufacturing of clinical batches and dossier compilation to specialised commercial manufacturing.

Idifarma has acquired a Bosch GKF-702 capsule filling machine, capable of manufacturing 3,000-42,000 capsules per hour. The new equipment will be installed at the CDMO’s EU-GMP approved plant in Pamplona, Spain, in early 2017.

Commenting on the investment, Luis Oquiñena, general manager and co-founder of Idifarma says: “This is a significant milestone in our journey so far, helping us to become a leading CDMO for small-scale niche products in solid oral forms.

“Idifarma will continue to keep its contract manufacturing focus on specialised, low-volume pharmaceutical products where we can add real value to our clients’ projects involving innovative drugs and niche generics.

“This investment will also include the enlargement of our GMP plant with new rooms and capacity to handle high potency drugs, another clear differentiation and focus area for Idifarma.”

In addition to improving Idifarma’s contract manufacturing capabilities, the GKF-702 will also feature a 'lab kit', enabling the use of the machine during pharmaceutical development, resulting in a more efficient use of APIs and less wastage.

The new machine will benefit from other equipment that is already installed at Idifarma’s GMP plant including a Hüttlin Oyster high-shear mixer and dryer for wet granulation processes, bin blenders with capacity up to 70 kg and a Clinipack IMA blistering machine, with the ability to work with Alu/Alu or any thermo-formable material. Idifarma can also handle narcotics and low-humidity requirements.

Luis Oquiñena continued: “We are confident that this new investment will not only attract clients interested in production, but also contract development projects in hard capsule form in the coming months.

“Our customers can now benefit from a one-stop-shop service from lab-scale development to manufacturing of clinical batches and dossier compilation to specialised commercial manufacturing,” added Luis.

The investment in capsule filling equipment coincides with the 15th anniversary of Idifarma, which will grow its revenue in 2016 by over 25%. The team recently reached 100 people, with 50% of business now coming from outside of Spain.