Press Room

Event

DDL 2023

Start

Wednesday, December 06, 2023

End

Friday, December 08, 2023

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Booth Number: #165

Hovione is excited to participate in the DDL Conference 2023 from December 6-8 in Edinburgh. Don't miss the opportunity to engage with our experts in inhalation and nasal drug delivery and discover how our comprehensive expertise and leadership in Particle Engineering can ensure that your inhalation and nasal therapies are engineered for success from start to finish.

Join Hovione's Presentations

On December 7th, don't miss the oral presentations by our experts:

Title: "Enhanced Lung Delivery of mRNA Using Nebulized Lipid Nanoparticles"

Ricardo Velez, Associate Scientist, IADD

Time: 14:40 - 14:55

Description: The current study developed a formulation of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that encapsulate either messenger RNA (mRNA) or transfer RNA (tRNA), enabling their delivery into the lungs through nebulization. tRNA-LNPs and mRNA-LNPs were produced using microfluidics, followed by a buffer exchange via dialysis to investigate the effect of different excipients on LNPs colloidal stability during nebulization. The formulation containing PBS and Tween 80 demonstrated the capacity to sustain the colloidal stability of tRNA-LNPs during nebulization. This formulation was then applied to mRNA-LNPs, maintaining particle colloidal stability and mRNA integrity throughout the product's lifecycle.

The mRNA-LNPs were nebulization using a vibrating mesh nebulizer and produced droplets with favorable aerodynamic characteristics: Median Mass Aerodynamic Diameter (MMAD) of 4.6 µm, a Fine Particle Fraction of Emitted Dose (FPFED) of 51%, and an Emitted Dose (ED) of 92%. By presenting a formulation capable of withstanding mechanical stress induced by a vibrating mesh nebulizer while exhibiting satisfactory aerodynamic performance, this work is a significant advancement in the nebulization of nucleic acids.

Title: "Amorphous Spray Dried Microparticles for Nasal Delivery: Tackling Solubility Challenges while Targeting Systemic Nasal Absorption"

Patrícia Henriques, Scientist, Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

Time: 14:55 - 15:10

Description: Dry powder formulations for nasal drug delivery can be manufactured by spray drying, a technology that allows particle size control and the generation of amorphous solid dispersions for drug solubility enhancement. The objective of this study was to characterize the dissolution and drug release performance of amorphous spray dried microparticles comprising a model poorly soluble drug piroxicam and two different polymers, while comparing with the corresponding physical blends. The lead formulation was further characterized regarding nasal deposition using the Alberta Idealized Nasal Inlet (AINI). Overall, the results show spray drying as an advantageous technology for nasal targeted systemic delivery. Moreover, a combined performance evaluation using dissolution, drug release and nasal deposition methodologies was adequate to characterize and select lead formulation candidates.

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Don't Miss Hovione's Poster Sessions

Poster Title: High drug load and performance formulation platform for DPI

Susana Saldanha, RD Manager, IADD

Description: The work developed shows a formulation platform using crystalline active ingredient particles coated with a force control agent, such as Leucine, provides a solution for delivering high drug loads to the lungs by increasing more than 4 times the fine particle fraction (FPF) from 7% to 38% when comparing with the uncoated API particles. The results show that this formulation platform can be applied in a wide range of therapeutic indications that require high drug load inhalable powders. In addition, the combination of the formulation with a high-performance device such as Sunriser®, can further improve the delivered dose efficiency.

Poster Title: "Impact of the blending process of carrier-based formulations on DPI performance" Luis Sousa, Senior Analytical Scientist, AD

Abstract: This work aimed at investigating the impact of blending process parameters, such as the order of addition of a pre-blend of excipients and the blending energy, on the aerodynamic performance of carrier-based formulations containing magnesium stearate. Several blends were manufactured as part of a DoE and the results revealed that no statistical model could explain the variations observed. Nevertheless, a clear correlation was observed between the API content of the blends and aerodynamic performance (Fine Particle Fraction), which was further explored with the help of thermal analysis (DSC). At the end, optimal blending process conditions were defined for this type of formulations.

Schedule a meeting with our team - Booth #165 - and get to know more about our unique and comprehensive expertise in inhalation and nasal drug delivery and how we can support your needs in your drug development and manufacturing.

Let’s discuss your project together.

Schedule a meeting with our experts.

Find more about DDL 2023.

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Twenty companies presented at the annual kickoff to DCAT Week. The Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT) opened DCAT Week 2026 with its Member Company Announcement Forum. The kickoff to the annual event in New York City, underway from March 23–26, 2026, showcased 20 companies. These were selected based on their announcements’ “news priority, criticality, and interest” to DCAT member companies. The following is a summary of highlights from the presentations, supplemented by additional information provided by some of the companies. (...) Hovione Hovione’s Vice President of Technical Operations for the Americas, David Basile, delivered the company’s Member Company Announcement Forum presentation. Basile will be speaking exclusively with Contract Pharma during DCAT Week, so check back for more on Hovione’s latest. Read the full article at ContractPharma.com

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Contract Pharma, 23 March 2026

DCAT Member Company Announcement Forum 2026: An Inside Look

Mar 23, 2026

With more than six decades of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, Hovione is an international CDMO offering a comprehensive range of services for New Molecular Entities (NMEs), including drug substances, intermediates, and drug products. The company also supplies niche generic APIs and delivers advanced technologies supporting multiple drug delivery platforms, including oral, injectable, inhalation, and topical formulations. Today, Hovione employs 2,500 people worldwide and operates 900 m3 of manufacturing capacity across four sites in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Japan has played an important role in the company’s global strategy since its early years. Initial export activities were followed in 2017 by the establishment of a Japanese subsidiary in Osaka. Read the full article in Japanese at Yakuji.co.jp Read the article translated in English

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Yakuji Nippo Magazine, 13 March 2026

International CDMO strengthens its presence in Japan: from active pharmaceutical ingredients to formulations, all at the same location

Mar 13, 2026

In an interview with Executiva, a portuguese media outlet focused on women´s leadership, Diane Villax, co-founder and long-standing leader of Hovione, reflects on her journey and the company’s development over more than six decades. Diane Villax’s career began at a time when few women worked outside the home. At 19, she joined a trading company as a foreign languages correspondent, where she developed essential business skills — including commercial correspondence, banking and export procedures — that later proved instrumental in helping her husband, Ivan Villax, establish Hovione in 1959. From its earliest days operating in the family home in Lisbon, Hovione adopted an international outlook. The company’s first major customers were in Japan, setting demanding quality standards that helped shape its long-term position in global markets. Over the following decades, Hovione expanded its footprint with the construction of its first manufacturing site in Loures (1969), followed by expansion to Macau (1986), the United States (New Jersey, early 2000s) and Ireland (Cork). The company grew into a global organization with more than 2,500 employees — including over 300 scientists — and a reputation as a preferred supplier to leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Throughout the interview, Diane highlights the values that have guided the company’s development: a commitment to excellence, a strong work ethic, and a focus on quality and long-term relationships. Although she did not have formal business training, she learned “on the job” and brought discipline, precision and structure to her role — particularly in the company’s early financial and administrative leadership. Now in her nineties and an active member of Hovione’s Board of Directors, Diane Villax remains engaged with the company’s evolution and governance, reflecting a continued commitment to its long-term development. Her story reflects entrepreneurial drive, resilience and long-term leadership — and offers insight into the values that have shaped Hovione’s trajectory for more than six decades. Read the full interview at Executiva.pt (in portuguese).

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Executiva, 23 February 2026

Hovione’s Diane Villax: “I was not brought up to be a business woman”

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