Catalent Expands OptiMelt® Hot Melt Extrusion Capabilities at Somerset Drug Development Center of Excellence

SOMERSET, N.J. – April 4, 2019 — Catalent Pharma Solutions, the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health products, today announced that it has invested a further $5 million at the company’s Somerset, New Jersey, drug development center of excellence to expand its OptiMelt® hot melt extrusion (HME) capabilities.

As a technology, HME offers several advantages, including development of amorphous dispersions and controlled and modified drug delivery to enhance a drug’s bioavailability, as well as taste masking of bitter active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The investment will include the addition of a number of pieces of manufacturing and analytical equipment to enhance development capabilities for preclinical and early clinical phase development, as well as adding downstream processing technologies to support HME formulations.

“The developmental challenges to overcome issues with drug solubility and bioavailability are well documented, and our OptiMelt HME technology is one of many potential solutions that Catalent has to offer,” commented Jonathan Arnold, President of Oral Drug Delivery at Catalent. “Our strategy is to work with drug innovators to optimize the formulation and delivery method of a drug, and HME enables us to develop more patient centric dose forms, including controlled release.”

In 2018, Catalent announced an investment in the Somerset facility to create a new drug development center of excellence, which, alongside sites in San Diego, California and Nottingham, U.K., offer formulation and development services focused on preclinical to clinical phase 2b formulation, analytical, and manufacturing solutions for orally delivered small molecules.

Catalent’s 265,000 square-foot headquarters and development center in Somerset has a long track record of successfully developing, launching, and manufacturing many oral treatments for leading global innovators. The site houses state-of-the-art analytical labs, pilot and clinical scale equipment including hot melt extrusion and fluid-bed processing and has significant expertise in handling potent and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) compounds for capsules, tablets, minitablets and multi-particulates.

About Catalent
Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health products. With over 85 years serving the industry, Catalent has proven expertise in bringing more customer products to market faster, enhancing product performance and ensuring reliable clinical and commercial product supply. Catalent employs over 11,000 people, including over 1,800 scientists, at more than 30 facilities across five continents, and in fiscal year 2018 generated approximately $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Catalent is headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

More products. Better treatments. Reliably supplied.™