BASF And Catalent Join Forces To Solve Bioavailability Challenges
Catalent Pharma Solutions and BASF have entered into a broad collaboration and Open Alliance to provide solutions to overcome bioavailability challenges of new molecular entities with solubility or permeability challenges.
The companies aim to combine their world-leading expertise to provide pharmaceutical customers with a unique range of seamless solutions to address pipeline challenges with a large majority of BCS Class II and IV poorly bioavailable compounds. From feasibility studies across multiple technologies, solid state chemistry, consulting and training, expert formulation services, excipients and optimal dose form development, to scale-up and supply, BASF and Catalent provide a full solution to one of the most important pipeline challenges in the industry – getting better treaents to market faster.
BASF has extensive ingredient formulation and material science expertise, as well as world-class excipient products and has been a leader in developing hot melt extrusion technology solutions. Catalent is the #1 global partner in drug formulation and development as well as in finished oral dose manufacturing, with more than 75 years of experience in providing bioavailability solutions.
Ian Muir, President of Catalent's Modified Release Technology business unit, stated, "We are very pleased to collaborate with BASF to bring this unique and impactful solution to our customers. BASF brings significant strengths and expertise that match very well with Catalent's expertise in offering multiple solutions for poorly soluble compounds; including our Softgel platform and OptiMelt hot melt extrusion technologies. Our proven track record of developing, scaling up and manufacturing pharmaceutical products globally also provides for an important seamless integration from development to commercialization and ongoing supply."
"We are glad to bring our in depth knowledge of polymeric excipients, including innovations like SOLUPLUS into this open alliance", says Ralf Fink, VP Global Marketing at BASF Pharma Ingredients & Services business unit. "With our broadest portfolio of solubilizers and excipients for hot-melt extrusion, coupled with Catalent's strengths in development, formulation and manufacturing, we are in a unique position to solve the solubility challenge. With this open alliance, we help our customers in the development and commercialization of drugs with poor bioavailability."
Catalent has made significant invesents in OptiMelt hot melt extrusion and fluid bed lab, pilot, and commercial scale equipment at its Schorndorf, Germany facility, OptiMelt hot melt extrusion at its Somerset, NJ facility, training and seamless method development to operationalize this open alliance. BASF is continuously investing in new excipients to provide advanced solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.
About Catalent
From drug and biologic development services to delivery technologies to supply solutions, Catalent Pharma Solutions has the deepest expertise, the broadest offerings and the most unique technologies in the industry. With over 75 years of experience, Catalent helps customers get more molecules to market faster, enhance product performance, and provide superior, reliable manufacturing and packaging solutions. Catalent employs more than 8,000 people at 20+ facilities worldwide and in fiscal year 2011 generated more than $1.6B in annual revenue. Catalent is headquartered in Somerset, NJ. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.
About BASF
BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. Through science and innovation we enable our customers in almost all industries to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and system solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring healthy food and nutrition and helping to improve the quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF posted sales of about €73.5B in 2011 and had more than 111,000 employees as of the end of the year. For more information, visit www.basf.com or www.pharma-ingredients.basf.com.
SOURCE: BASF