On track at CPHI Barcelona - The Track Sponsor interview: Lonza

In our packed out content sessions at CPHI Barcelona this year we focus on some of the hottest topics coming up in the pharma industry, with each track sponsored by a leading expert in the field. 

Can you please give an overview of Lonza’s Capsules and Health Ingredients division, what your key priorities are as a company, and what makes you unique?  

Lonza has over 5 decades of experience in producing capsules, where we’ve focused on raising standards to help eliminate defects and minimise disruptions in manufacturing.  

We have a broad portfolio, with an array of options available in multiple configurations (including by route of delivery and release profile) to meet any functionality requirements. This can support customers across any phase of their pipeline and whether they’re in a research, development, or commercial phase.  

As for what makes us distinctive, our work is backed by our global R&D capabilities and technical support services. We have a manufacturing and logistics infrastructure that can be utilised across the globe to help our customers solve their problems. Together, we work with our customers and partners to deliver quality products that meet patient and consumer needs. 

You’re the Track sponsor for ‘Formulating the Future’, can you give us the key takeaways from this track?  

The session is about addressing formulation challenges for the therapies of the future. At Lonza’s Capsules and Health Ingredients division, we support our customer at all stages of their developments, and we see first-hand that our customers want to innovate with very different kinds of platforms. Above all, we want attendees to go away with an understanding of future trends for therapy formulation and how they can innovate to address formulation challenges.

Could you give please give us an example of innovation for formulating the future? 

Bi-layered manufacturing technology is an important advance that will revolutionise drug delivery and solve the problems the industry has faced for so long in ensuring effective targeted drug delivery. 

As Capsugel® Enprotect® capsules are enteric by nature, they avoid the need for additional post filling process (such as coating), which can be detrimental to many new drug modalities because of the use of high temperature or moisture. This enables accelerated development processes, including fast first-in-human timelines.  

To ensure that we do all we can to not just innovate in capsules development, we share our expertise and solutions with the wider pharmaceutical industry so that together, we can address formulation challenges for the benefit of patients.

What can we expect to see in the future in drug formulation and manufacturing?  

Beyond the trends already referenced, we’d say the key implications for the future relate to cost and flexibility.  

For cost, there will be improvements in return on investment, as if there is no need to alter the API and formulation because of issues with the capsule. Additionally, a rise of ‘ready to go’ solutions mean there is greater flexibility and choice for companies in determining the manufacturing methods of their products to deliver for the needs of their customers.  

This will have far-reaching implications across the globe. Using India as an example, costs of medicine will be reduced because of the improvements in capsules, and the flexibility offered means that patients will now have new options for drug delivery that previously could have restricted their treatment in the past, such as if they had a fear of needles. It is an exciting time for capsules, and the implications are already far-reaching.  

How do events like CPHI Barcelona help to accelerate these track fields in the wider pharmaceutical industry?  

These events allow us to meet customers and discuss their problems with them, ultimately looking to determine if we have any potential capsules solutions from our portfolio that could help them fix their problem. The solutions to their drug delivery issues can also be found via a close partnership with our Capsule Application Lab Services supporting customers with personalised solutions, including tailored formulations, customised capsules and encapsulation processes assistance. 

Even if they don’t presently have any pressing problems, it’s also a great opportunity to discuss the possibility to collaborate with them on drug delivery solutions relating to future trends or issues that could become a problem in the longer-term.  

The CPHI conference programme also gives participants access to the latest information and insights on innovations in the pharmaceutical industry.