Ashland opens new drug development centre of excellence in Wilmington, US
Increases its pharmaceutical technologies capabilities to address global drug development and bioavailability enhancement trends
Ashland Specialty Ingredients, a commercial division of Ashland, has opened a new pharmaceutical centre of excellence in Wilmington, Delaware, US. The facility will focus on drug development and bioavailability enhancement, and expands Ashland’s global network of pharmaceutical research and development centres.
It will also offer formulation and contract development for solid dispersions and oral solid dosage forms. To support early stage proof-of concept-studies, capabilities include spray drying, hot-melt extrusion and potent-compound processing suites.
'A key commitment is to be close to our customers. One way of accomplishing this is by investing in leading-edge facilities and laboratories,' said Luis Fernandez-Moreno, President, Ashland Specialty Ingredients.
'With this facility, we will provide our North American customers with unparalleled expertise and service in enhancing their pharmaceutical formulations.'
Jim Mish, Group Vice President, Consumer Specialties at Ashland Specialty Ingredients, added that emerging manufacturing processes, such as continuous manufacturing by spray drying or hot-melt extrusion are essential to the future success of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Excipients science is also vital.
'At our new centre of excellence, we will be combining our expertise in process technology along with our knowledge in materials science to further support the quality, safety and efficiency of oral solid-dosage forms,' he said.
The Ashland Pharmaceutical Specialties research and development team takes a customer-focused approach to R&D and roughly 70% of its current R&D projects involve collaborating with customers. The company also offers them customised training on product applications. Technical assistance for specific requests from customers is also provided.
The Wilmington centre expands Ashland’s global network of R&D and technical support facilities dedicated to the advancement of consumer products. It follows the opening of another pharmaceutical centre of excellence ddin Hyderabad, India, earlier this year and a personal care centre of excellence in Mumbai, India, in 2012.
Ashland Specialty Ingredients now has 10 centres of excellence around the world.