While there has been a greater focus on biologics and injectable drug products in recent years, oral solid dosage forms remain dominant in the market. Contract Pharma’s recent feature, “Industry Experts Weigh in on Oral Solid Dosage” shed light on the trends and challenges in Oral Solid Dose (OSD) development—and predicted where the industry is likely headed.
 
Contract Pharma also recently asked industry experts: what are the most recent highlights at your company on the oral solid dosage front?
 
They shared information about new facilities, expansions, new products, services and more.
 
See their responses below:

ACG

In December, ACG celebrated the inclusion of its capsule manufacturing factory in Pithampur, India, into the Global Lighthouse Network (GLN) by the World Economic Forum.
 
The Global Lighthouse Network is a collaborative platform bringing together manufacturers leading the charge in adopting Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
 
“We are extremely proud of our first Lighthouse factory. From its inception, the facility has been a pioneer in its field, but this latest honor recognizes the excellence in adopting AI at speed and scale,” says Anil Andrade, Vice President Global Sales at ACG World.
 
He adds, “Our continued future-focused approach sets new benchmarks in quality and innovation, with the aim of ensuring maximum benefit for customers, regulators and the entire pharmaceutical ecosystem.”
 
Also, in 2023, ACG’s nutraceuticals brand, Vantage Nutrition, acquired US-based ComboCap and AquaCap and South African BioCap, helping to increase its footprint in manufacturing processes and technology advancements.
 
Later in 2024, Andrade says ACG will be opening new and modern factories in Thailand and India which will use new polymers for two-piece capsules.

Adare

According to Srinivasan Shanmugam, PhD, Executive Director of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Business Support, and New Technologies, Adare Pharma Solutions, new developments at Adare include:
 

• Upgrades to packaging ccapabilities to enhance and expand serialization and aggregation offerings.
• Expansion of high potency manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. and Europe.
• An expansion of the Pessano, Italy site with new capacities.
• Expanded repackaging capabilities in the Dungan (Philadelphia) facility.
• Nitrosamine mitigation service offering, providing a quantified mitigation strategy created specifically to minimize nitrosamine formation in customer products.

PCI Pharma Services

PCI has invested heavily in its high potent manufacturing facility in the UK. In 2023 the company launched its second Contained Manufacturing Facility (CMF), which effectively doubles its capacity to produce highly potent drug products from clinical to commercial scale.
 
“This second facility builds on our award-winning and hugely successful first CMF, which was launched in 2013,” says David O’Connell, Director of Scientific Affairs.
 
Last year also saw the launch of PCI’s High Potent Packaging Facility, which can safely package potent OSD products at commercial scale.
 
“This has created a very robust single-site service offering for our clients, where their high potent OSD products can be safely developed, manufactured, packaged and distributed around the globe,” O’Connell explains. “Alongside PCI’s strong global network of clinical and commercial packaging facilities, this has truly elevated our position as an integrated CDMO able to provide the highest level of service to our clients.”
 
PCI also partnered with S3 Processes to purchase an Enclony Planet 6GP-TC High-Speed Tablet and Capsule Vision Inspection Machine for the UK manufacturing site.
 
“By enabling us to perform full 360-degree inspections of tablets and capsules, the Enclony technology enhances our commitment to meet the most rigorous quality standards for our clients,” says O’Connell.

Piramal Pharma Solutions

The Piramal Lexington plant is finalizing plans for an expansion of its current manufacturing facility to add a new aseptic filling line and two additional lyophilizers that will expand capacity 6 times that of current capabilities to support commercial manufacturing. 
 
Also, Piramal Pharma Development Services in Ahmedabad is planning to add a high potent drug manufacturing facility that complements its already established reputation as a trusted partner in dosage form development, material characterization, and analytical chemistry. 
 
Lastly, Piramal Sellersville has augmented its dry granulation development and manufacturing capabilities with both Mini- and Macro-Pactor units.

Societal CDMO

“At Societal CDMO, our vision is to be a premier and trusted CDMO offering tailored solutions to our customers,” says Richard Sidwell, Chief Scientific Officer, Societal CDMO. “To that end, we’re always listening to our clients’ needs and looking for ways to help.”
 
To offer more capabilities and flexibility, Societal has added various equipment options to round out its OSD capabilities.
 
“For example,” says Sidwell, “we have recently added equipment like a contained minitablet encapsulator and a 12” Wurster for our GPCG-30, as well as facility modifications like airlocks for several processing rooms that allow more flexible use for higher potent products.”