Hovione has installed a new large-scale spray drying unit at its facility in Loures, Portugal. The unit is specifically designed to handle high potency active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and to use a wide variety of organic solvent systems. Spray drying is used in a multitude of pharmaceutical applications, i including for improving solubility of poorly soluble oral drugs, isolating biopharmaceuticals, and for producing inhalable dry powder formulations. The new large scale commercial facility will be in full operation by March 2016.

The new unit will add additional capacity to the spray drying facilities at Hovione. Currently, Hovione has spray drying facilities in Portugal, Ireland, and the US.

Source: Hovione