Bend Research, a division of Capsugel Dosage Form Solutions, has installed its first commercial-scale spray dryer in its R&D facility in Bend, Oregon. The new dryer allows for process development and scale-up in a non-GMP environment and complements the existing small- and mid-sized spray dryers already in service at the company. The installation completes the first part of the company’s multi-stage, more than $20-million expansion to enhance commercial manufacturing capabilities for spray-dried dispersions at its facilities in Bend. Spray-dried dispersion technology helps increase the bioavailability of compounds with low solubility.

The new, high-capacity pharmaceutical spray dryer can be used for scale-up, quality-by-design studies, and the production of appropriate toxicology study supplies. The installation coincides with ongoing construction to expand the cGMP commercial facility, which includes an additional commercial-scale spray dryer for production of late-stage clinical, launch, and commercial spray-dried products. The commercial facility expansion will be completed by mid-2015. 

Source: Capsugel