Using FlowCaps

Hovione is developing novel expertise in the area of formulation science, aiming to increase the number of services available to our clients, in particular for those projects requiring complex or difficult particles.
This new area will bridge the gap between Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Science requirements and has involved several people at Hovione. William Heggie and Ana Gonçalves worked together on the conception of this mission which shows a clear option towards the expansion of our knowledge. From now on, R&D projects that require access to particle technologies – size, distribution curve, surface, morphology and other physical parameters that may affect bioavailability - will make use of the know-how in this new area.
From an operational point of view, this new Discipline will be under the management of José Lisboa (R&D Programme Director). The leadership of the development of technical knowledge is assured by Peter Villax, who considers that R&D is the right place for this new scientific discipline to become an important expertise in the Company’s future business.
 

Crystal of Roxithromycin

Agglomerate - spray-dryer

With a view to improving the management of the current Performance Assessment Process, the Company defined a system of Global Objectives based on the Short Term Plan and Strategic Map issued annually by the CEO.

Hence, the objectives defined in the Strategic Map are considered by each Business Unit (BU) and Corporate Services (CS), which in turn establish concrete action plans that cascade down into more detailed objectives that will contribute towards the global results of the Company. This same exercise is carried in detailed action plans for all areas.

The new planning and management tool – Objectives Matrix – establishes and aligns the Company’s objectives at Group level, whilst its degree of final achievement will be measurable. This annual document is drawn up by the Head of each Business Unit/Corporate Service together aligning each member of staff individual objectives with the Company’s strategic objectives in the following pyramid:

1. BU/CS objectives aligned with those of the Company.

2. Area objectives, aligned with those of the respective BU/CS.

3. Sector (when existing) objectives aligned with those of the respective Area.

4. Objectives of the remaining functions, aligned with those of the respective Area.

The objective of the area establishes the challenges presented to every employee, bearing in mind his/her experience/competences. Therefore, every employee will now have two types of personal objectives:

i) Those that contribute towards the area objectives.

ii) Those that contribute towards his/her personal development.

Figure 1 shows a typical example of the objective cascade.

> HOVIONE GROUP

{ HQ } NEWS FROM LOURES

NIR proves to be a success
 

Having been in operation for nearly two years, the NIR (Near Infra Red) project has already generated quicker and more economic alternatives to some of the analytical methods carried out in Hovione. For example, the analysis of bulk and recovered solvents and analytical controls used in the drying of products are areas where the NIR technique has been successful in substituting the older methods. In parallel, a critical examination of historical data from other tests allowed for their removal, thus introducing innovation in the way Quality Control is carried out and allowing for a reduction in the number of tests for some products. This effort generated a good return on capital invested, justifying the decision to adopt this state-of-the-art technology. In following a permanent policy of innovation Hovione is turning to NIR as a method to follow the FDA’s most recent guidelines: PAT (Process Analytical Technology). This technology is described as a system in which in-process-controls are in place that measure on-line critical properties with the objective to assure the quality of the final product. Hovione has now invested in a NIR probe which allow the project to begin this new phase. So as to ensure the success of this initiative, the NIR team has been redefined and is now formed by Ana Gonçalves (Head), Alvaro Lopes, António Almas, Carlos Alvarez, Sónia Amaral and Nuno Matos. Noé Carreira continues as sponsor of the project.

Ana Gonçalves, NIR Project Leader

{ HM } NEWS FROM MACAU With the temperatures reaching 30ºC and with a steamy relative humidity over 90%, May doesn’t feel like Spring in Macau. Fortunately there’s a tree that keeps on remind us that it’s really Spring time: the Royal Poinciana (Delonix Regia) blooms every May, dotting the Macau landscape with red flowers. Hovione Macau is fortunate enough to have two of these beautiful trees on the Bk9 garden. NEW TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS Two teams from HM were in New Jersey and Loures during May cooperating in technology transfer projects. David Martins, Chao Ka Leong, Billy Wong and Sergio Sanchez were in Loures, actively taking part in the GM01 campaign. These tech transfers have proved to be very useful on previous projects transferred to HM, like RS13 and IR01, greatly contributing towards their success as well as creating a spirit of collaboration between the teams at different sites. We trust the projects PA01 and GM01 will have the same success. ADMISSIONS: Seekin Leong, Lab Assistant and Elvin Ip, Production Engineer. Product GM01 team, from HQ and HM  First IR batch supplied

{ NJ } NEWS FROM NEW JERSEY ADMISSIONS: Nadiyah Fullwood, Analytical Scientist in R&D. Travis Jones, Analytical Chemist and Carol Herzberg, Receptionist/Secretary. Good luck and a successful career at the TTC to you all. STAFF TRANSFERRED FROM HM Temporary collaboration by Kit Man Chan, Ian Wong and Miguel Wong from Hovione Macau in Project PA01. STAFF TRANSFERRED FROM HQ Temporary collaboration by Marco Marques in project AI01 and José Rato in project PA02. On going projects at TTC: PA01, PA02, PA03, AI01, CH03, NS01, NS02 and IR02. GRAÇA FLORES PRESENT AT THE PAPS VI FORUM The weekend 23rd April, Graca Flores speaked at PAPS VI Forum dedicated to the topic “Relations between Industry and University” at Chicago University. PAPS (Portuguese American Postgraduate Society) organizes yearly forum with the objective of promoting the relation between Portuguese investigators studying/working abroad with Scientific community and industry in Portugal. Hovione was invited to participate on part II of the Forum dedicated to “Examples of success in the industry” together with “Alfama (the first Portuguese company dedicated to drug discovery) and Biopeptides Corp (a development laboratory founded by Maria Joao Solecki, a Portuguese professor at New York Medical College). The Forum counted also with the participation of Prof. Manuel Heitor, Secretário de Estado da Ciência, NeuroScientist António Damásio and Eduardo Marçal Grilo from Gulbenkian.