Press Room

Press Release / Jun 08, 2001

FDA inspection to Hovione site in Loures, Portugal - May 31st to June 5th

An FDA pre-approval inspection took place in Hovione's Loures facility from 31st May to 5th June. Mr. Charles Cote, FDA investigator of the Minneapolis District, stated at the closing meeting that no Form 483 would be issued. Mr. Cote made a general inspection of our quality system, procedures and controls and reviewed in detail the key PAI documentation relating to process validation, cleaning validation, analytical validation, stability testing, batch production and analytical records, raw material approvals.

He also reviewed an Annual Product Quality Report for one of our established products, the list of products sent to the U.S. since our last inspection together with the list of complaints and current status. Purified water systems, cleanroom design and controls and microbiological testing were covered as well as a review of analytical and production equipment qualification as part of the inspection of the operational areas.

At the closing meeting, Mr. Cote also stated that he was impressed with all of the people with whom he interacted at Hovione. Records were available for all the areas he wished to cover and the Standard Operating Procedures were generally well written. He stated that Hovione had good control over our operations and he thanked our staff for our cooperation with him during the audit.

Hovione is an international group dedicated to the synthesis of APIs and serving exclusively the Pharma industry. With FDA inspected plants in Europe and the Far East and sales offices in Hong Kong, Switzerland and New Jersey, Hovione is committed to the highest levells of service and quality. Hovione’s capabilities include process chemistry, worldwide regulatory affairs, kilo to multi-ton manufacture of complex multi-step chemistry of APIs under FDA and ICH cGMP standards.The company also has ISO 9000 certified Quality Management Systems.

Hovione was first inspected by the FDA in 1982 and has been successfully inspected regularly ever since. Quality operations at Hovione involve 82 staff, including QA, Regulatory Affairs, QC and the Analytical Group, with dedicated laboratories for Release, In-process Control, Method Development and Validation.

The Company is involved in establishing Industry Standards and actively participating in CEFIC/APIC and pharmacopoeial committees. Analytical methods developed in Hovione’s laboratories have been included in pharmacopoeial monographs and the Company regularly supplies EP and USP with substances used as International Reference Standards. Hovione's commitment and investment in the areas of quality, compliance and regulatory issues frequently result in the Company adopting new standards prior to their official implementation. Hovione has filings with every world health authority that has a DMF system for APIs. The Regulatory Group is able to prepare data for an IND, NDA, ANDA, VMF or DMF filed at the FDA, MCA, HPB, TGA, Agence du Médicament, BfArM, or for EP certification.

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Developing drugs with poor water solubility remains a major challenge for pharmaceutical manufacturers, because solubility impacts bioavailability and effective drug delivery. The vast majority of small molecule drug candidates have low water solubility. For more than two decades, the most successful particle engineering technology to improve drug solubility and bioavailability has been spray drying with an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) platform. Spray drying improves the solubility of oral drugs, inhalable particles, and excipients, and increases the stability of heat-sensitive drug products. Hovione, recognized globally for its industry-leading spray drying capabilities, has recently completed a $100 million investment cycle to enhance its operations in New Jersey. This initiative has successfully doubled Hovione’s spray-drying capacity in the US, strengthening its position in the industry. 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It will also be a hub for centralized logistics, enhanced quality control laboratories, and next-generation research and development facilities.  A Global CDMO with a Growing U.S. Footprint  Hovione has operated in New Jersey for more than two decades, establishing itself with a strong U.S. presence for the production of drug substances, intermediates, and finished drug products. A continued emphasis on an integrated service offering, including spray drying, supports delivering innovative medicines to patients more quickly.  The expansion of the East Windsor site addresses the rising demand for U.S. manufacturing and is an integral part of the company's ongoing global growth strategy, with facilities in Portugal, Ireland, and Macau. The company continues to bolster a cohesive network for drug development and commercial manufacturing unified by a corporate quality system and governance framework.  The integrated offering enhances development speed and eases technology transfers by unifying the team's technical skills, proprietary technologies, and digital platforms to efficiently produce drug substance to drug products at a single-site, through Hovione’s “one site, one partner” vision. Furthermore, Hovione’s strategic partnership model offers customers exclusive access to advanced technologies and resources while aiding in the optimization of their development programs and ensuring sustained value creation.  End-to-End Spray Drying and Particle Engineering: From Grams to Tons Hovione is a global leader in spray drying and particle engineering. Services include solubility enhancement and controlled-modified release via development and production of ASDs of both small and large molecules, supporting various modalities. ASD-HIPROS, Hovione’s proprietary spray drying screening platform, identifies optimal formulations that offer optimal performance and stability. By increasing production volume in the US, Hovione will meet customer demand for spray drying services:  Development services in the laboratory (1 g – 1 kg batches)  Pilot scale production (0.5 – 25 kg batches)  Small-scale production (5 – 200 kg batches)  Large-scale commercial manufacturing (50 – 400 kg batches) A Commitment to Sustainability  Hovione’s core values include a commitment to sustainability at all facilities. This commitment is reflected in a business strategy that focuses on improving the communities where the company operates. Hovione’s sustainability policy and strategy align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and include adherence to science-based targets in line with the Paris Agreement to address climate change. Meeting these goals has required a dedication to process intensification and ensuring sustainability of manufacturing processes. This has been possible through strategic planning and commitments from senior management to ensure sustainability is addressed throughout the drug development life cycle.  Partner with a Technology-Leading CDMO for U.S. Manufacturing   As demand for poorly water-soluble drug formulations continues to rise in the U.S., expanding spray drying throughput is essential to meet the need for innovative therapeutics. 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