The Canadian contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), which already provides clinical-scale lyophilisation and filling services, can now handle batch sized of up to 35,000 small vials or 3,000 200ml vials.
CEO Thomas Wellner told Outsourcing-pharma that the investment was motivated by an assessment of current and future drug industry lyophilisation capacity as customer requests for the service.
Wellner also suggested that further expansion is likely, explaining that: “We are expecting to fill our current lyophilisation by [capacity] 2012 and we have contracts which will require adding a 2nd and 3rd lyophilizer.”
The move into commercial-scale lyophilisation fits with Therapure’s focus on the development and manufacture of therapeutic proteins and previously stated desire to set up a “one stop shop”.
It is also in keeping with investments made by other CMOs in the last few months, most recently Swedish CDMO Recipharm which added large-scale lyophilisation capacity in January.
Microbix deal
In other news, Therapure formed a manufacturing partnership with fellow Canadian virology and biological technologies firm Microbix Biosystems.
Under the deal, Therapure will take over the manufacture a range of “water-based” products for pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing operations, which Micobix will market and sell.
Microbix CEO William Gastle explained that: "Therapure's capabilities will enable Microbix to expand our product line and market share of the growing water-based business in North America,” sales of which are growing 20 per cent a year.
Wellner was also positive about the deal, suggesting that: “This opportunity enables Therapure to leverage our large water and buffer manufacturing capacity and our Health Canada licensed aseptic filling capabilities."