Patheon expands its operations

North American drug manufacturing and development services company Patheon has expanded its Toronto Region Operations site in Mississauga, Canada. Completion of the C$5.1m ($3.66m) project adds new laboratory and office space for Patheon's pharmaceutical development services (PDS) business as well as additional warehouse space.

'The new laboratory will support continuing growth of our PDS business, which provides dosage form development services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies,' said Robert Tedford, Patheon's ceo. 'During fiscal 2001, revenues from our PDS business grew by 58%.'

The new warehouse almost triples the site's existing storage capacity, supporting increased business volumes, particularly in commercial manufacturing. It includes a dedicated cGMP sampling room for raw materials and packaging components, two receiving docks and 3,000 pallet racking spaces.

The company has also announced that it is further expanding its European lyophilisation capabilities by acquiring a sterile manufacturing facility in Ferentino, Italy, from Biomedica Foscama. Patheon has committed to doubling the facility's existing capacity by installing an additional lyophilisation unit. The facility is expected to be opened in the first quarter of Patheon's 2003 fiscal year and when fully operational is expected to employ up to 100 people.

The acquisition complements Patheon's current lyophilisation expansion program at its existing site in Monza, near Milan. A new sterile area containing two new lyophilisation units is expected to come on line in the third quarter of Patheon's 2002 fiscal year. The company also plans to improve current capacity in Monza by replacing two existing units by the end of fiscal 2003. Patheon expects its lyophilisation revenues to grow from approximately $12m (€8.66 m) in fiscal 2001 to the $50m (€36.07 m) by 2004/2005.