Press Room

Press Clipping / Oct 27, 2025

Hovione Completes Initial $100M Investment Cycle to Expand U.S. Operations at New Jersey Manufacturing Site

Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology, IPT Online, 27 October 2025

Investment More Than Doubles Capacity for Spray Drying, a Critical Solubility Enhancement Technology That Could Benefit the Development of 70% of Drugs

27 October 2025 -- New Jersey, US -- Hovione, a fully-integrated global CDMO, today announced the completion of an initial multi-million-dollar investment cycle to expand its manufacturing site in East Windsor, New Jersey. Upon completion, this world-class campus will cover more than 200,000 square feet, integrating the latest technologies within sustainably designed facilities. The initiative advances Hovione’s long-term strategy to grow its U.S. operations and enhance its integrated drug substance, drug product intermediate, and drug product capabilities.

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) for the company´s customers that have an interest in having a supply node in North America. This investment more than doubles Hovione’s spray drying capacity in the United States, expanding capabilities for ASD development and commercial manufacturing. A global leader in ASD by spray drying for pharmaceutical applications, Hovione applies this critical technology to improve drug solubility and bioavailability across a wide range of compounds. Construction is already underway at the Hovione New Jersey site, with GMP operations planned to start in the second quarter of 2026.

“Since launching our New Jersey operations in 2002, Hovione has been one of the longest established European CDMOs in the United States,” said Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Ph.D., CEO of Hovione. “This investment reinforces Hovione’s leadership in spray drying – a core technology platform where we have built extensive know-how and capabilities. By continuing to advance our platforms and expand capacity in the U.S., we are strengthening the foundation that enables our partners to bring complex medicines to patients more efficiently.”

Dr. Herbeaux continued, “This investment addresses growing customer demand for U.S.-based capacity and integrated solutions that shorten development timelines and reduce tech transfer complexity. By consolidating development, scale-up, and commercial manufacturing within a single quality and governance framework, we provide customers with seamless execution from drug substance to drug product.”

As part of this expansion, Hovione has also acquired additional adjacent land to enable future growth and ensure the East Windsor site continues to meet evolving customer needs. The 125,000-square-foot greenfield will support large-scale production, including continuous and batch tableting capacity, and introduce the next generation of pharmaceutical technologies and digital innovation with enhanced quality control and R&D capabilities.

David Basile, Vice President of Technical Operations – Americas at Hovione said, “This expansion in New Jersey marks a significant step in extending our capabilities in the U.S., which go far beyond machine time or equipment capacity. We are integrating our teams, specialized assets, proprietary technologies, and digital systems to deliver distinctive end-to-end ASD and continuous tableting platforms to our customers. Through our new strategic engagement model, customers can gain privileged access to innovation and assets that accelerate their programs and create long-term value.”

Hovione’s expansion in East Windsor forms part of a broader international growth plan that also includes capacity investments in Ireland and Portugal. Together, these initiatives will create a network of autonomous sites spanning the development and commercialization of APIs, drug product intermediates, and drug products, all under harmonized quality systems.

Drug developers seeking to expand U.S. manufacturing capacity, gain strategic access to critical assets, or achieve an expedited pathway to filing and commercialization, are invited to contact Hovione at www.hovione.com/contact-us to discuss potential collaborations.

Read the full article at IPTOnline.com

 

 

Also in the Press Room

See All

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).    

Article

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

Feb 23, 2026