Press Room

Event

RDD Europe 2025

Start

Tuesday, May 06, 2025 - 09:00

End

Friday, May 09, 2025 - 18:00

Location: Estoril, Portugal

Booth Number: 23

Hovione is present at RDD 2025 in Portugal | Hovione

Hovione is exhibiting at RDD Europe, a conference that has earned a sustained reputation for impactful, actionable content covering all aspects of drug delivery to the lungs and nose. In-depth presentations and discussions on pioneering science are expected to attract an audience of 500 delegates.

Do not miss the chance to meet our experts at table #23 and attend our podium and poster presentations, and workshop sessions.

Hovione Podium Presentation – May 7

Title: β-Lactoglobulin - A Novel Excipient for Next Generation Spray-Dried Powder Formulations

Session: May 7th at 11:30AM

Location: Auditorium

Presenters: Paulo Lino. Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Senior scientist. Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

Moderator: Paul Young, Ph.D., Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

Short description: This study explores the potential of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) isolated from bovine whey as a novel excipient in dry powder formulations for respiratory delivery. BLG formed dispersible and high-density composite particles via spray drying.
Key learning: Key findings include
- i) optimized spray drying conditions to obtain BLG particles with high fine particle fractions up to 90%;
- ii) demonstrated BLG compatibility with active pharmaceutical ingredients like fluticasone furoate and tobramycin;
- iii) stabilization of amorphous fluticasone;
- iv) high nasal deposition of BLG-based formulations
- v) pulmonary and systemic clearance in rats within 24 hours after being inhaled, with minimal immune responses and no observed toxicity.

Hovione Podium Presentation – May 9

Title: Leveraging Nasal Powders for Complex Therapeutics and Targeted Delivery

Session: May 9th at 11:00 AM

Location: Auditorium

Presenter: Patricia Henriques Ph.D. Scientist. R&D, Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

Short description: This presentation explores the potential of nasal powder delivery as a platform for systemic and targeted administration of complex therapeutics. By leveraging advanced formulation strategies, we address key challenges in delivering poorly soluble small molecules and biopharmaceuticals. The talk will highlight particle engineering approaches for targeted delivery, integration with tailored delivery devices, and insights from the development pipeline, showcasing how these innovations converge to enable effective intranasal therapies.
Key learning: Understand how formulation for complex therapeutics influences the performance and clinical potential of effective nasal powder products. Explore how particle engineering and device strategies can be optimized to achieve targeted nasal delivery, enhancing patient compliance and therapeutic outcomes

Hovione Workshop – May 7

Title: Optimizing Biologics Powder Formulations: Achieving High Drug Load, Stability, and Efficient Inhalation

May 7th from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Sessions: 2:00-3:00; 3:15-4:15 and 4:30-5:30PM

Location: Level 0 Room D3

Presenters:

Luís Marques, Senior Scientist – R&D, Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

Filipe Vultos. Ph.D. Senior Scientist II. R&D Analytical Department

Short description: Get to know Hovione´s integrated formulation-device solution for nasal powders development and learn how the early-stage in vitro screening may be predictive of the in vivo nasal powder performance.
Key learning: Interest in developing biologic drugs for inhalation delivery has surged in recent years, primarily due to the advantages of the inhalation route over the parenteral route, especially for respiratory diseases. The main challenge in developing biologic formulations is maintaining the integrity of the biologic during formulation, manufacturing, storage, and delivery to the patient. Dry powders are preferred for inhalation delivery because they offer greater convenience and stability compared to liquid formulations. However, temperature and shear stress during manufacturing can affect the integrity of biologics. This workshop explores key formulation strategies to overcome these challenges, aiming to achieve dry powder formulations for biologics that not only exhibit good stability but also improved aerosolization performance and high drug loads.

Hovione Posters

Poster P12 - Nasal Spotlight

Title: Characterization Study of Nasal Deposition Targeting the Central Nervous System

Authors: Cláudia Sofia de Pina e Costa. Ph.D. Analytical Scientist. Analytical Development
Key Learning: Highlight the impact of different formulation particle sizes and nasal casts geometries in the deposition within the nasal cavity of the nasal dry powder

Poster P1 - Bench to Bedside

Title: Distinct Baseline Phenotypical and Functional Properties of Macrophages Derived from Two Different Lots of THP-1 Monocytes for Screening the Effects of Inhalable Drugs

Authors: Alexandre Ribeiro. Ph.D. Principal Analytical Scientist. R&D. Hovione. Mykaella Mestre M.Sc. Ph.D. Candidate. R&D. Hovione & IST- University of Lisbon, Ibb
Key Learning: Show potential sources of variability in the use of macrophage-like cells derived from THP-1 monocyte as drug development tools. Proposes analyzing cellular properties related to inflammatory function and API uptake as quality standards for these cells

Poster P2 Bench to Bedside

Title: Advancing High-dosage DPI Formulations: Integrating Quality By Design For Optimized Performance

Authors: Rui Churro. Ph.D - R&D Manager, Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery
Key learning: This work successfully integrated advanced modeling and Quality by Design (QbD) principles to optimize dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulations, enhancing process efficiency and product consistency. The development of a leucine "fingerprint" model and empirical tools for composite DPI formulation streamlines development and de-risks scale-up, offering significant business value through reduced R&D timelines, improved product quality, and faster time-to-market for inhalation therapies

Poster P12 Aqueous Agenda

Title: Optimizing Inhalation of a Monoclonal Antibody: Transitioning from Nebulization to a Dry Powder Inhaler

Authors: Luís Marques, Senior Scientist – R&D Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

Contact our experts today to learn how the Hovione team ensures that your inhalation and nasal therapies are engineered for success from start to finish.

Let’s discuss your project together. Schedule a meeting today.

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The latest from CDMOs, CMOs, and suppliers featuring Thermo Fisher Scientific, Lonza, SK pharmteco/Lotte Biologics, Hovione, Sai Life Sciences, BioCina, Alcami, Piramal Pharma/IntoCell and Roquette. Formulation Development/Drug Product Manufacturing: Hovione Completes Initial $100-M Investment Cycle in US Operations Hovione, a CDMO of drug substances and drug products, has completed an initial $100-million investment cycle at its site in East Windsor, New Jersey, as part of a strategy to increase its US operations and enhance its integrated drug-substance, drug-product intermediate, and drug-product capabilities. Upon completion, the site will cover more than 200,000 square feet. The initial expansion phase includes a 31,000-square-foot building that will house two size-3 spray dryers (PSD-3) designed for production of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). This investment more than doubles Hovione’s spray-drying capacity in the US by expanding capabilities for ASD development and commercial manufacturing. Construction is underway at the New Jersey site, with GMP operations planned to start in the second quarter of 2026. As part of this expansion, Hovione has also acquired additional adjacent land to enable future growth at the East Windsor site. The 125,000-square-foot greenfield will support large-scale production, including continuous and batch tableting capacity, and introduce the latest pharmaceutical technologies and digital innovation with enhanced quality control and R&D capabilities. Read the full article at DCATvci.org

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Today marks the start of CPhI Frankfurt, a huge trade show in Germany focused on the supply of pharmaceutical ingredients and other services to the drug industry. C&EN editor in chief Nick Perkins, life sciences editor Laura Howes, and reporter Aayushi Pratap are all there to meet drug outsourcing executives and take the pulse of the sector. In advance of CPhI, Cambrex and Wilmington PharmaTech both just announced big investments in US plants that make active pharmaceutical ingredients. And the Portuguese pharmaceutical services firm Hovione says it has completed a $100 million investment in New Jersey (story below). (...) Hovione invests in spray-drying in New Jersey The pharmaceutical services firm Hovione says it has spent $100 million to expand its operation in East Windsor, New Jersey. The facility spray-dries drug ingredients to create amorphous solid dispersions, which improve solubility and bioavailability. The Portuguese company says the new spray dryers will begin operating in the second quarter of 2026. The New Jersey facility opened in 2002, making Hovione one of the longest-established European pharmaceutical services firms in the US, CEO Jean-Luc Herbeaux says in a press release. Hovione says it has purchased land adjacent to the East Windsor site on which it can add new facilities for services such as spray-drying and drug tableting. Hovione is also investing at its sites in Ireland and Portugal. —Michael McCoy Read the full article at CEN.acs.org

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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. Hovione’s Expanded U.S. Site in East Windsor, NJ The first phase of the expansion in East Windsor, NJ, delivers a new 31,000 square foot facility and houses two size-3 spray dryers (PSD-3). This additional capacity allows Hovione to meet increasing customer demand for ASD development and good manufacturing practice (GMP) commercial production. GMP operations are scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2026. Hovione has also acquired 15 acres of neighboring land, strategically positioning itself for future growth and evolving customer needs for U.S. manufacturing. The newly acquired greenfield site will provide future support for PSD-4–scale commercial production as well as continuous and batch tableting production. 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. With proven leadership in spray drying to manufacture ASDs, Hovione is able to support pharmaceutical companies by solving their solubility challenges efficiently and reliably. Partnering with a CDMO that combines global leadership, advanced technologies, and the necessary manufacturing capacity in the U.S., drug developers can expedite time to market, ensure quality, and deliver innovative medicines to patients faster. If your company is seeking access to the latest spray-drying capabilities, expanded U.S. manufacturing capacity, and an accelerated path to regulatory filing and commercialization, contact our team today.

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By David Basile, Vice President, Technical Operations

Hovione is Expanding Spray Drying Capacity for U.S. Drug Manufacturing

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