Patheon Builds Lyophilization

06 May 2002 00:00  [Source: ICB Americas]

Patheon Inc., the Toronto, Canada-based provider of pharmaceutical contract manufacturing services, has expanded its European lyophilization capabilities by acquiring a 144,000 square foot sterile manufacturing facility in Ferentino, Italy, from Biomedica Foscama SpA. The move will lift the company's total lyophilization capacity to roughly 125 square meters, and plans call for increasing that to nearly 250 square meters by 2004.

"The acquisition of this facility is part of Patheon's strategy to serve the needs of the industry's innovators with higher-value services, says Robert Tedford, CEO. "Used in the manufacture of sterile injectable pharmaceutical products, lyophilization is a process during which products that are unstable in liquid form are freeze-dried to remove water and improve their stability."

Mr. Tedford notes that demand for lyophilization has grown among both biotech and large pharmacuetical companies. Patheon's own capacity is fully utilized. Additional capacity will come on line at Monza, Italy, in the third quarter, but Mr. Tedford expects it to be almost sold out. The Ferentino facility will provide additional capacity when it opens in 2003, and Patheon has committed to doubling the site's existing capacity by adding another unit. Including the Ferentino acquisition, the company plans to invest $40 million this year and next on lyophilization.

In 2001, lyophilization contributed C$12 million ($7.7 million) to revenues at Patheon, and the company expects that figure to increase to C$50 million in 2005.

"This investment program positions Patheon to become a preeminent European supplier of lyophilization services," says Mr. Tedford.

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