Elliott Berger  Vice President, Global Strategy Catalent Pharma Solutions

Elliott Berger, Vice President, Global Strategy, Catalent Pharma Solutions, highlighted the rationale and integration of two recent acquisitions by the company (Accucaps and Pharmatek), at the DCAT Member Company Announcement Forum held on Monday March 20 at DCAT Week ’17. Berger explained that these acquisitions are part of a total of $1 billion in investments (internal investments and acquisitions) that the company has made over the past five years to address specific challenges by the industry in formulation development, drug delivery, and drug product manufacturing.

investments have included the creation of new offerings such as OptiForm Solution Suite, through which the company’s scientists will assess and enhance a candidate formulation in less than 12 weeks and supply materials for pharmacokinetic testing; the acquisition of Micron Technologies particle-engineering capabilities; the development of OptiMelt hot-melt extrusion to improve bioavailability; and OptiShell softgel technology, which offers higher temperature formulation advantages.

With the addition of Accucaps, an acquisition completed in February 2017, Catalent gains additional expertise in softgel technologies, specifically in over-the-counter medications, and additional manufacturing capacity, including integrated packaging capabilities. Accucaps’ nearly 200 employees have joined the Catalent network, and the acquisition also adds two manufacturing facilities in Ontario, Canada to bring Catalent’s global network of softgel sites to a total of thirteen.

Through the 2016 acquisition of Pharmatek Laboratories, Catalent expanded its position in early development and clinical manufacturing of oral and injectable products as well as gained additional capabilities in spray-drying technology. Founded in 1999, Pharmatek serves more than 100 customers globally, and its facility in San Diego includes cGMP manufacturing suites, formulation and analytical laboratories, specialized facilities and controls for highly potent compounds, and ICH-compliant stability storage. This location gives Catalent a local presence on the West Coast of the US and will be a hub for the company’s OptiForm Solution Suite project development. OptiForm is the company’s technologies for resolving bioavailability and formulation challenges for early-stage compounds.