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Lisbon, Portugal, May 6, 2025 – Hovione, an international integrated pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, and Firstgene Life Sciences, a portfolio company of the Swiss incubator Xlife Sciences AG (SIX:XLS), today announced a strategic collaboration to advance Hovione’s proprietary virus-like particle drug delivery platform for the targeted treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), a therapeutic indication developed by Firstgene. Under the terms of the collaboration, Hovione will grant Firstgene an exclusive license to its proprietary novel targeted Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV)-Like particle technology for the treatment of HCC and will provide preclinical R&D services.  The virus-like particle technology will be engineered and functionalized for the specific carcinoma cell type using therapeutically validated AAVs, including a novel primer compound. Hovione will be responsible for molecular engineering, the supply of tailor-made virus-like particles, and the execution of proof-of-concept studies. “We are thrilled to see our new gene vector particle platform adopted by Firstgene and its forward-thinking leadership team,” said Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Chief Executive Officer of Hovione. “We are proud to advance the development of innovative oncology treatments that address a critical unmet need for precision gene expression at the tissue level. This partnership is a testament to our mission of turning scientific complexity into real-world solutions that truly make a difference for patients.” “Firstgene is proud to highlight its collaboration with Hovione on this groundbreaking project. HCC, the most common liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related death, continues to represent a major unmet medical need. The combination of Hovione’s expertise in complex chemistry and particle engineering and the commercialization expertise of Xlife Sciences positions Firstgene well to offer patients potential new safe and effective therapy options”, said Dr. Alexander Zink, Managing Director of Firstgene Life Sciences GmbH.     About Hovione  Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards. About Firstgene Firstgene Life Sciences GmbH is a technology-driven biotech start-up located in Mainz, Germany, incubated by Xlife Sciences AG, Zürich, Switzerland. Firstgene aims to deliver innovative treatments for indications with a high unmet medical need and is backed by Xlife Sciences AG, whose expertise is bridging novel innovation to the health care markets.       

Press Release
Exclusive licensing and R&D collaboration accelerate the development of a novel gene vector platform for precision gene therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma - the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide

Hovione and Firstgene announce strategic collaboration to advance virus-like particle platform for liver cancer

May 06, 2025

Investment in Hovione Tejo will expand industrial capacity and strengthen the company’s global leadership in spray drying and other advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies The facility will feature state-of-the-art automation and sustainability solutions, reflecting a commitment to excellence in this industry  By 2026, the site ramp-up will be supported by a dedicated team of approximately 40 members, scaling up to 100 as production begins   Lisbon, March 18, 2025 – The first construction phase of the Hovione Tejo Campus in Seixal has entered its final stage, with commissioning set for mid-2027. Spanning 42 hectares to support future expansions, the site will initially feature two production buildings, one for particle engineering technologies and one for final dosage forms. Facilities will be equipped with cutting-edge automation. With an initial investment of around €200 million, the project will create around one hundred highly skilled jobs, enabling Hovione to expand its industrial capacity and reinforce its global position. With the opening of this new Campus, Hovione will operate five manufacturing sites across three continents: two in Portugal (Loures and Seixal), and one each in Ireland (Cork), the United States (New Jersey), and Macau.  “This new phase of Hovione Tejo´s construction is a major step in the company’s international expansion. By combining state-of-the-art scientific and engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology, this greenfield expansion will enable compliant and efficient manufacturing of complex new medicines for our customers. It will also create numerous direct and indirect qualified jobs, strengthening the pharmaceutical ecosystem in the beautiful region of Seixal. The products manufactured here will be exported worldwide, contributing to improving the health of millions of people”, said Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, CEO of Hovione.  The two initial production buildings will be complemented by supporting infrastructure such as laboratories, offices, cafeteria and other shared facilities. The new Campus will incorporate advanced sustainability and decarbonization solutions to minimize environmental impact and ensure energy efficiency.  Operations will begin with 40 team members in 2026, increasing to 100 once production starts. “We have assembled a multidisciplinary team, drawing expertise from our entire organization, to design a Campus that sets new standards. It will provide an exceptional environment for our team members, suppliers and customers, conducive to the development of new solutions based on high yield collaborations”, added Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux. About Hovione  Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.  

Press Release
Investment in Hovione Tejo will expand industrial capacity and strengthen the company’s global leadership in spray drying and other advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies.

Hovione’s new campus in Seixal enters final stage of construction. Set to open in mid-2027

Mar 18, 2025

All manufacturing sites - Lisbon (Portugal), Cork (Ireland), East Windsor (NJ), and Macau - recognized for excellence in workplace practices Significant progress in key areas as Purpose & Values, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Employer Branding, and Recognition & Rewards, driven by sustained investment in people Lisbon, January 16, 2025 - Hovione, an international integrated pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organization, has once again solidified its position as a top employer. For the third consecutive year, all four of its manufacturing sites - Lisbon (Portugal), Cork (Ireland), East Windsor (NJ, USA), and Macau - have been certified as Top Employers by the Top Employers Institute. This certification follows a rigorous audit process and underscores Hovione’s consistency in investing in people and world-class workplace practices, as well as the unwavering commitment of its more than 2,300 employees to the company's core purpose and values. “This recognition reflects the exceptional dedication and collaboration of the entire Hovione team,” said Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Chief Executive Officer. “Hovione is a development and manufacturing service company operating in one of the most demanding and regulated industries. We understand that our success is deeply rooted in our people. Together, as One Hovione, we are committed to continuously refining our people practices to foster a workplace that inspires motivation and enhances employee satisfaction, so that, every day, our team members bring their best selves to work, driving innovation and excellence at every step.” For Ilda Ventura, Senior Vice-President of Human Resources and Member of the Management Board of Hovione, “this distinction underscores our unwavering commitment to our people. At Hovione, we design our HR systems and processes to ensure that every team member enjoys a consistent and fulfilling experience, regardless of their role, function, or location. By prioritizing equity and inclusion, we strengthen our differentiated Employee Value Proposition, enriching the journey for both current and future talent.” The Top Employers Institute program highlights the company’s significant advancements in several critical areas, including Purpose & Values, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Employer Branding, Rewards & Recognition, and across all locations. Macau, which became the first-ever company in the region to earn Top Employer certification last year, successfully renewed its status this year, further solidifying Hovione’s global leadership in workplace excellence. With its consistent recognition as a Top Employer, Hovione demonstrates that investing in people is not just a strategy but a cornerstone of its success, driving innovation, collaboration, and excellence across the organization.   About Hovione  Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards. About Top Employers Institute  Top Employers Institute is the global authority on recognizing excellence in People Practices. We help accelerate these practices to enrich the world of work. Through the Top Employers Institute Certification Program, participating companies can be validated, certified, and recognized as an employer of choice. In 2024, Top Employers Institute has certified more than 2300 organizations in 121 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 12 million employees globally. For more information, please visit www.top-employers.com    

Press Release
Hovione has once again solidified its position as a top employer.

Hovione strengthens its global position as a top employer for the third consecutive year

Jan 16, 2025

Lisbon, November 25, 2024, Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO and the leader in spray drying and particle engineering, just completed significant expansions in Europe and the USA. The investments at its East Windsor, New Jersey, and Ringaskiddy, Cork, facilities will significantly increase Hovione's global spray drying capacity and enhance the sites‘capabilities.   This latest round of investment reinforces Hovione’s position as the global leader in spray drying for pharma applications, an essential technology for enhancing drug solubility and bioavailability. Spray drying converts liquid solutions into fine powders, enabling improved dissolution and absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs. This process is particularly valuable for inhalable therapies and oral formulations with low bioavailability, helping to deliver more effective treatments and ensuring reliable, high-quality healthcare solutions for patients.  In New Jersey, the investment represents the first step of a multi-year site expansion program, aimed at advancing both spray drying and tableting capabilities. Simultaneously, the Cork facility saw its spray drying capacity increase nearly twofold. Combined, these efforts are creating over 40 new skilled jobs, driving growth and innovation across both locations. Dr Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Chief Executive Officer of Hovione said: “These expansions, incorporating our latest technologies, reflect Hovione’s unwavering commitment to innovation and manufacturing service excellence. Strengthening our facilities and teams in the USA and Ireland allows us to better serve our customers and provide flexible supply options for both small- and large-scale programs. By increasing our capacity and enhancing our technological capabilities, we are even better equipped to help our customers bring new and more complex drugs to market.” The investments at both sites are part of Hovione’s long-term strategy to remain at the forefront of pharmaceutical technology. With a 65-year history of continuous improvement, Hovione is driving progress in drug development and manufacturing, offering solutions that enable more effective treatments and improved patient outcomes.   About Hovione:  Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.   In the picture from left to right: Dr. Till Riehm, Site Manager - Cork, Hovione; Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, CEO, Hovione; Michael McGrath, the European Commissioner Designate for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law; Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA Ireland; Jorge Pastilha, VP Technical Operations - Europe and Asia, and Dr. Paul Downing, Senior Director, Strategic Business Management.    

Press Release
Hovione has completed significant expansions at its facilities in New Jersey, USA, and Cork, Ireland.

Hovione Expands Global Spray Drying Capacity with Significant Investment in the USA and Ireland

Nov 26, 2024

Lisbon, October 3, 2024 – Hovione Farmaciência, S.A. (“Hovione”) and Zerion Pharma A/S (“Zerion”) today announced that they have expanded their partnership to accelerate the development of the Dispersome® technology platform and further expand its applicability and reach for increasing the solubility and bioavailability of small drug molecules. To this aim, the companies created a joint venture responsible for managing the Dispersome® intellectual property portfolio and allocated market rights to the two partners. Hovione and Zerion have been co-promoting the Dispersome® technology to clients since the beginning of 2022. Under the extended collaboration, Hovione is granted exclusive global rights to develop and offer the Dispersome® technology for drugs delivered via the respiratory route, a field where Hovione is active today with leading formulation and manufacturing capabilities. Further, Hovione is granted exclusive rights to develop and offer Dispersome® formulations for nutraceutical and medicinal foods products, an area with unmet needs in the area of bioavailability. Hovione is also granted a non-exclusive license to promote the Dispersome® technology for use in Pharmaceutical oral dosage forms for new chemical entities. In return for the grant of rights, Zerion will receive royalties from Hovione’s commercial activities in these fields. Within the framework of the joint venture, the parties will work closely together to bring the Dispersome® technology to customers as quickly as possible. Arla Foods Ingredients (Denmark) will deliver the pharmaceutical excipient (Lacprodan® BLG-100 Pharma Grade) for the Dispersome® technology, when BLG is accepted as a novel excipient. “Hovione is thrilled to reinforce its collaboration with Zerion to further accelerate the adoption of Dispersome® in the pharma and nutra markets,” said Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione’s CEO. “The use of Zerion’s Dispersome® Technology has proven to deliver superior solubilization power for both pharma and nutraceutical active ingredients. This highly innovative platform is a valuable addition to Hovione’s leading offering in solubility and permeability enhancement for NCEs and nutraceuticals and affords formulators new options which address unmet needs of the industry.” Ole Wiborg, the CEO of Zerion, comments: “Hovione is the global leader in the field of producing amorphous solid dispersions by spray-drying and this extension of our partnership again confirms the huge potential of our Dispersome® technology. If one company in the pharma industry can truly judge its value, it is Hovione, and we have a strong belief in sharing our technology with Hovione, who will secure its use with more drugs and ingredients and in applications across several delivery routes. Thus, we expect substantial revenues from the collaboration in the years to come.” Through their partnership, Hovione and Zerion are offering pharma, biotech and nutra companies worldwide access to an innovative delivery platform combined with an unparalleled experience in formulation development, scale-up, and GMP manufacturing. The Dispersome® technology Zerion has pioneered the Dispersome® technology that addresses poor drug solubility, one of the most recognized drug development challenges. The Dispersome® technology increases solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble compounds and can be applied at any stage of drug discovery or drug development, including in preclinical studies, first in human studies, and reformulation of existing drug products.   About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices. About Zerion Pharma A/S Zerion develops its own proprietary drug formulations and offers its Dispersome® technology platform to established pharma companies as a means to solve their challenging drug solubility problems. Zerion was established in 2019 as a spinout of the University of Copenhagen.     Read the previous press releases on this story: Hovione and Zerion Pharma announce a strategic partnership to market the Dispersome® technology platform Zerion Pharma and Hovione extend partnership to cover use of the Dispersome® technology platform in nutraceuticals  

Press Release
A partnership to accelerate the development of the Dispersome® technology platform and further expand its applicability and reach for increasing the solubility and bioavailability of small drug molecules.

Hovione and Zerion Pharma create joint venture to further expand use of Dispersome® technology

Oct 03, 2024

From left to right: Jean-Luc Herbeaux, CEO of Hovione, Paula Alves, CEO of iBET, and João Almeida Lopes, President of iBET.   Lisbon, Portugal: Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO and leader in spray drying and particle engineering, and iBET (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica), a private not-for-profit research-intensive SME in the area of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, are proud to announce the official establishment of ViSync® Technologies as a jointly owned venture. The creation of this new company, headquartered in the Lisbon area of Portugal, illustrates the parent companies´ commitment to partnership and joint innovation. ViSync® will aim to develop innovative solutions to address the unmet technical needs of pharmaceutical companies in the cell and gene therapy space, leveraging Hovione's extensive expertise in pharmaceutical development, Particle Engineering and industrialization of pharmaceutical technologies and iBET's cutting-edge research in biotechnological sciences. One of the first focus areas of ViSync® will be to develop technologies that improve delivery and stabilization of new modality therapies. "We are delighted to join forces with iBET - a leading R&D organization in Biotechnology and Life Sciences – in the establishment of ViSync®.” says Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione’s CEO. “By combining Hovione´s expertise in drug formulation, manufacturing process development and scale up with iBET´s broad understanding of new modalities, we aim to devise new solutions to help pharma companies launch innovative medicines and improve health outcomes for patients.”   “The creation of ViSync® marks a significant milestone for iBET.” says Paula Alves, CEO of iBET. “By combining our cutting-edge biotechnological research in the cell and gene therapy fields with Hovione’s extensive pharmaceutical development expertise, we are well-positioned to develop innovative approaches for targeted delivery and stabilization of new modality therapies. We are excited about the potential of ViSync® to drive substantial advancements and deliver significant benefits to patients worldwide.”    About Hovione  Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices. Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.   About iBET iBET is a private non-profit institution devoted to biotechnology research, with 35 years of experience creating and transferring knowledge to the global biopharma and biotech sectors. iBET’s core expertise lies on the development of bioprocesses and analytical tools for Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs), including cell and gene therapies, vaccines, antibodies and other innovative therapeutic products. Leveraged by the emerging areas of Data Science and Translational Immunology, we offer bespoke R&D services from early-stage R&D to GMP manufacturing.     iBET’s infrastructure comprises cutting-edge laboratories, a GMP certified Analytical Services Unit, and a Late-Stage R&D and Bioproduction Unit, covering upstream and downstream process development, bioanalytical tools for critical quality attribute monitoring, to scale-up and tech transfer. iBET also hosts satellite laboratories of major pharmaceutical companies and serves as an incubation platform for start-up/spin-off companies.    iBET is driven by its innovative and agile culture of continuous improvement and a strong sense of ambition, ownership and commitment in developing and delivering the best solutions to our stakeholders.    

Press Release
Commitment to partnership and joint innovation for cell and gene therapies

Hovione and iBET Announce the Establishment of ViSync® Technologies: A Venture in Cell and Gene Therapy Solutions

Sep 19, 2024

Lisbon, Portugal: Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO and leader in spray drying and particle engineering, is proud to announce the opening of a state-of-the-art continuous tableting (CT) line at its R&D Center in Lisbon.   The new line is the result of the partnership with GEA, a global leader in process technology for the pharmaceutical industry. Since announcing their partnership in 2022, Hovione and GEA have worked to advance continuous tableting technology. Their collaboration seeks to boost the adoption of continuous tableting by offering increased capacity, flexibility, standardized equipment, improved quality, and enhanced efficiency. Together, they have shown that continuous tableting can become a more accessible technology. This new R&D line is the only one of its kind in the world and perfectly replicates the most critical components of Hovione´s state-of-the-art commercial CT line in Loures, Portugal. It also offers a high degree of flexibility in throughput and can handle highly potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API). “With this new line, we will be able to optimize operating conditions with minimum amounts of API and provide a higher technical certainty when transferring from development to commercial scale”, said Jaime Del Campo, Head of R&D Services at Hovione. “The flexibility of the rig and the real-time process data monitoring capabilities contribute to a more agile design and upscaling experience.” The new CT line at Hovione's Lisbon R&D center is now fully operational and ready to support both existing and new projects. This investment reinforces Hovione's global reputation in pharmaceutical manufacturing and highlights the company's commitment to delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of the industry and support quicker and more efficient market launches.    About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices.     Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.     Learn more about Continuous Tableting for Drug Product    

Press Release
Hovione is proud to announce the opening of a state-of-the-art continuous tableting (CT) line at its R&D Center in Lisbon.

Hovione Unveils New Continuous Tableting Line at Lisbon R&D Centre

Jun 18, 2024

Hovione and GEA further strengthened their partnership, resulting in the launch of the ConsiGma® CDC flex Continuous Tableting Technology and the installation of a lab-scale R&D rig in Hovione´s facilities in Portugal. The agreement furthers Hovione´s ability to bring the benefits of continuous tableting, including reduced time to market and increased supply chain flexibility, to pharmaceutical customers globally. A presentation explaining how the technology has advanced will take place during a conference in Portugal (16–18 April), organized by Concept Heidelberg. Lisbon, March 18, 2024 – Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO and leader in spray drying and particle engineering, and GEA, a global leader in process technology for the pharmaceutical industry, today announced the next stage of their partnership, with new development agreements, the launch of the ConsiGma® CDC flex as well as the installation of a new lab-scale R&D Continuous Tableting rig in Hovione´s facilities in Portugal. The two companies’ collective and complementary knowledge of continuous tableting is being applied to streamline the technology and make it more accessible to pharmaceutical customers worldwide. The two expert teams are collaborating to bring continuous tableting to the same level of maturity as batch tableting, thereby capturing the known benefits of continuous manufacturing while reducing the downsides. The ConsiGma® CDC flex (patent pending), has been designed as a truly versatile system which can operate seamlessly in both continuous and batch modes and offer both high and low throughput functionality. With a focus on user-friendliness, the ConsiGma® range will be augmented further with new developments to simplify routine development operations and introduce automated workflows and Smart controls interfaces, empowering operators to streamline production processes. GEA will also supply Hovione with lab-scale feeding and blending systems for research and development (R&D) applications which will bolster Hovione’s current GMP equipment for both continuous direct compression (CDC) and wet granulation continuous tableting and complement the non-GMP test capabilities of GEA in Wommelgem. Since signing the original collaboration agreement last year, the two companies have worked predominantly on two areas of the partnership: technology development and the joint promotion of continuous tableting. Presentations explaining how the technology has advanced will take place during the continuous tableting conference in Cascais, Portugal (April 16-18), organized by Concept Heidelberg, and another event Princeton NJ, USA (September 16-18), organized by Continuous Manufacturing Forum. “We believe that continuous tableting can offer significant benefits to our customers, not only by shortening time to market and reducing development and manufacturing costs but also by improving product quality and sustainability”, commented Filipe Gaspar, VP Technology Intensification at Hovione. “Through our collaboration with GEA, we aim to revolutionize the continuous production of oral solid dosage forms, making the technology more accessible and efficient for pharma customers.”   “Hovione and GEA benefit from a very large and complementary pool of continuous tableting experts; together, their collective knowledge is being applied to make continuous processing much less complex” stated Phillip Gabb, Strategic Business Director, Pharma Solid Dosage at GEA Pharma & Healthcare. “There is an industry perception that a lot of highly qualified and well-trained people are required to run a continuous line. The partnership’s intention is to simplify that, make it no different to running a standard tablet press and enable existing operators — with the right guidance — to use continuous manufacturing equipment.”  Background information About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices.     Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards. About GEA GEA is one of the world’s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services. With more than 18,000 employees, the group generated revenues of about EUR 5.4 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2023 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customer’s production. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions, plastic usage and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company’s purpose: ”Engineering for a better world“. GEA is listed on the German MDAX the European STOXX® Europe 600 Index and is among the companies comprising the DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability as well as Dow Jones Sustainability World and Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Indices.  

Press Release
The agreement furthers Hovione´s ability to bring the benefits of continuous tableting, including reduced time to market and increased supply chain flexibility, to pharmaceutical customers globally

Hovione and GEA Strengthen Partnership to Advance Continuous Tableting Technology

Mar 18, 2024

Hovione has entered into a license agreement with Dragonfly Technologies, Inc. to offer its customers the breakthrough micellar technology developed by Prof. Lipshutz. The agreement provides Hovione with the capability to develop chemistry-in-water, enabling a significant reduction in carbon footprint compared to conventional chemical processes relying on traditional organic solvents. Lisbon, March 07, 2024, Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO and leader in spray drying and particle engineering, today announced it has signed an agreement with Dragonfly Technologies, Inc. to gain access to its micellar technology for chemistry-in-water processes, developed by Prof. Bruce Lipshutz of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Hovione will further progress the technology to make it an integral part of its API manufacturing technology offering.  Micellar chemistry enables multiple chemical transformations to take place in nanomicelles dispersed in water, mimicking natural chemical transformations. The technology allows reactions to occur at lower temperatures and enables the reduction or even the avoidance of rare and expensive metal catalysts. At the same time, by minimizing the use of organic solvents, it can also reduce the carbon footprint of the desired chemical reactions.  Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione’s CEO commented: "Manufacturing of APIs and their intermediates make up a significant proportion of the overall carbon footprint of pharmaceutical product manufacturing. Gaining access to Dragonfly’s groundbreaking micellar technology is a key step in our journey to introduce more sustainable manufacturing options at industrial scale. This proprietary process technology enables the use of less energy-intensive conditions, lower levels of precious metal-containing catalysts, and lesser use of organic solvents.” Prof. Bruce Lipshutz said: “I am delighted about the collaboration between Hovione and Dragonfly on micellar catalysis chemistry in water. Hovione has a long history of developing and industrializing innovative technologies for the pharma industry. This agreement will help ensure that aqueous micellar technologies will have wider and faster market adoption, benefiting the industry as a whole, by enabling development of nature-based sustainable processes in water.” This collaboration is another example of Hovione´s commitment to expanding its technology platforms and contributing towards creating a more sustainable industry. The company is investing both in new assets and innovative technologies to meet customer demand for more sustainable integrated and differentiated development and manufacturing services for drug substances, particle engineering, and drug products. This new agreement follows on from other partnerships recently forged by Hovione to deliver new innovative solutions to customers, including those with IDC, to offer innovative nasal delivery devices, with H&T Presspart for the advancement of a dry powder inhaler platform, with Zerion Pharma to commercialize the Dispersome® technology platform and with Ripple Therapeutics to expand the use of the Epidel® platform beyond ophthalmic applications. In addition, in November 2024 Hovione acquired ExtremoChem, a company with a portfolio of rare sugars which have shown potential in stabilizing biopharmaceuticals. Note to editor: Dragonfly Technologies, Inc. is a company founded by Prof. Bruce Lipshutz which is devoted to micellar technology. About Hovione: Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices.     Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.  

Press Release
The agreement provides Hovione with the capability to develop chemistry-in-water, enabling a significant reduction in carbon footprint compared to conventional chemical processes relying on traditional organic solvents.

Hovione partners with Dragonfly Technologies to offer micellar chemistry technology to customers as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical processes

Mar 07, 2024

Hovione has been recognized as a Top Employer in all four of its manufacturing sites, in Lisbon (Portugal), Cork (Ireland), East Windsor (NJ) and Macau. Hovione is the first company to be certified as a Top Employer in Macau. Hovione’s 3 other sites, who had achieved Top Employer status in 2023, showed improved results this year.   Lisbon, January 18, 2024, Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO, leader in spray drying and particle engineering, is delighted to announce that it has been recognized as a Top Employer in all four of its manufacturing sites. Hovione is the first ever company to be certified as a Top Employer in Macau. This marks a significant milestone in the company's commitment to fostering a supportive workplace environment and providing meaningful and rewarding roles for its team members. It also demonstrates that “One Hovione”, a company´s strategic initiative to give team members an equally high-quality experience across all locations, is delivering.  The certification program by the Top Employers Institute evaluates organizations through their participation in and outcomes of the HR Best Practices Survey. This comprehensive survey encompasses six domains and addresses 20 topics from Career Development to Leadership and from Employee Wellbeing to Equity & Inclusion and Wellbeing, amongst others. The program has certified and recognized over 2,300 Top Employers in 121 countries/regions across five continents.  "Hovione is a company committed to excellence and differentiation and being a Top Employer is an integral component of Hovione's People Strategy. I am pleased to see that our continuous improvement program, supported by Top Employer´s best practices benchmarks, resulted in our progressing along multiple dimensions at all our locations”, commented Ilda Ventura, Vice-President for Human Resources and Member of the Management Board of Hovione.     Macau Special Administrative Region Douglas Lau, Human Resources Director for Hovione Macau, said that “It is a real achievement to be the first company in Macau to be a Top Employer. This demonstrates that companies in Macau can offer the same high quality workplace environment as anywhere else in the world. Coming so soon after Hovione was awarded the Medal of Merit from the Macau Government, it is also a further demonstration of how Hovione creates jobs that have real value to both our team members and the wider society. Portugal Catarina Tendeiro, HR Senior Director for Hovione Portugal, said that “We are thrilled to announce that Hovione has once again been recognized as Top Employer. This is a confirmation of our ongoing commitment to developing an exceptional workplace environment for our team members, who represent our most significant resource and our company´s main differentiator. I was especially pleased that this year’s report demonstrated improvement in several key areas, including Business and People Strategy, Leadership, Performance and Career and Learning. This demonstrates our desire to listen to feedback and to continue to improve our workplace experience.  USA Erin Tetreault, HR Director for Hovione New Jersey said, “We are thrilled to announce that Hovione has once again been certified as a Top Employer. We believe that our people are our strongest asset and this certification demonstrates our ongoing commitment to create a workplace culture that goes beyond safety and quality and helps all team members to feel truly valued. I was especially pleased that this years’ report showed improvement in several key areas, including Leadership, Work Environment and Employee Wellbeing. This demonstrates our desire to listen to feedback and to continue to improve our workplace experience." Ireland Imelda Cummins, HR Director for Hovione Ireland commented, “We are delighted that Hovione has once again been certified as a Top Employer. Hovione´s team members represent our strongest asset and enable us to offer our customers the high-quality products and services that Hovione is known for. It also shows our ongoing commitment to developing a great workplace environment. I was especially pleased that this year’s report demonstrated improvement in several key areas, including Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Learning, Sustainability and Career Development. This demonstrates our desire to listen to feedback and to continue to improve our workplace experience.   About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices.     Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.   About Top Employers Institute Top Employers Institute is the global authority on recognising excellence in People Practices. We help accelerate these practices to enrich the world of work. Through the Top Employers Institute Certification Programme, participating companies can be validated, certified, and recognised as an employer of choice. In 2024, Top Employers Institute has certified more than 2300 organisations in 121 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 12 million employees globally.    

Press Release
Hovione has been recognized as a Top Employer in all four of its manufacturing sites, in Lisbon (Portugal), Cork (Ireland), East Windsor (NJ) and Macau.

Hovione certified as a Top Employer in all of its manufacturing sites

Jan 18, 2024

22 December, 2023, Hovione is delighted to announce that the Hovione Macau site has been awarded the Medal for Industrial and Commercial Merit by the Government of Macau, a Special Administrative Region of the People´s Republic of China. The site underwent its first of many successful FDA inspections in 1987 and ever since has produced off-patent pharmaceutical actives, which are sold in the global market and boost Macau´s exports. With 180 employees, it is the largest pharmaceutical site in Macau. Over the years, Hovione has worked with a range of governmental departments to support the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Macau. This includes collaborating with the Macau Labor Affairs Bureau to develop the local workforce and create careers in the pharmaceutical industry. Hovione also works with the Education and Youth Development Bureau to organize visits from schools and universities and to arrange internships within the company for students. Team members are also invited by Macau University to give lectures on good manufacturing practice (GMP) and chemical analysis. Eddy Leong, Site Manager of Hovione Macau said: “It is our great honor to receive this Medal of Merit. We would like to express our gratitude to the Macau SAR Government and all sectors of society for recognizing the company's nearly 40 years of presence and industrial activity in Macau. At Hovione, our motto is “In it for life” and this award not only reflects our long and successful history in Macau, but also points to our successful future here. It also reflects our commitment to work with partner organizations to create rewarding career opportunities in life sciences.” The Medals of Merit cover seven categories (Industrial and Commercial, Tourism, Education, Culture, Altruism and Sports). They are intended to reward individuals or organizations that stand out in the exercise of their professional activity.   About Hovione: Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA-inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and devices.  Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione was the first Chemical/ Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp, is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.

Press Release
Hovione was recently awarded the Medal for Industrial and Commercial Merit by the Macau Government. Hovione started its manufacturing operations in Macau in 1986, producing lifesaving off-patent pharmaceutical actives for the world.

Hovione awarded prestigious industry medal by Macau Government

Dec 22, 2023

Hovione and Industrial Design Consultancy (IDC) have entered into a joint development of an innovative nasal powder delivery device technology supporting local, systemic, and nose-to-brain drug delivery. Nasal delivery is a simple and safe alternative to conventional delivery routes for drug delivery, which offers a faster onset of action. It is also seen as a promising pathway to deliver new drugs to the brain and treat diseases of the central nervous system. Lisbon, November 29, 2023, Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO, leader in spray drying and particle engineering, just announced an expansion of its nasal drug delivery capabilities with the addition of a family of innovative nasal powder delivery devices developed in partnership with IDC. Intranasal drug delivery is a good alternative to conventional delivery routes for both local and systemic drug delivery due to its simplicity, safety, and faster onset of action. Additionally, it is emerging as a promising pathway to deliver new drugs to the brain to treat diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).  Hovione and IDC have been working together to accelerate the development and commercialization of two new active nasal powder delivery devices, one single-use and one multidose. The devices enable broad and targeted nasal deposition flexibility while delivering maximum usability and reliability. By using standard capsules and filling equipment, they also have the potential to simplify drug product development and manufacturing.  "Intranasal drug delivery is gaining momentum across a number of applications, including mucosal vaccination and CNS treatments bypassing the blood-brain barrier", says Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione's CEO. He adds: "Our partnership with IDC, a company with vast experience in industrial design, mechanical and electronic engineering of medical devices, enables Hovione to offer a complete solution for nasal powder delivery – covering Active Pharma Ingredients (APIs), formulation, filling, analytics and device design and manufacturing - that address the needs of pharmaceutical companies and patients".  “By combining Hovione’s capabilities in pharmaceutical development, formulation and manufacturing with IDC’s device development expertise, this partnership offers customers a nasal powder delivery solution which can be rapidly adapted to new pharma compounds and therapies” explains IDC´s Managing Director, Dr Stephen Knowles, “Our joint development team has done incredible work to create unique, high performance nasal powder delivery devices.” Hovione will offer the new devices on an exclusive basis as part of its integrated offer for nasal drug development and manufacturing.    About Hovione: Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA-inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and devices.  Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione was the first Chemical/ Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp, is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.   About IDC: IDC is a leading medical product design and development consultancy dedicated to using its creativity, insight, experience and expertise to make the best possible products and deliver commercially successful products for clients and partners.  With over 50 years’ experience and ISO13485 compliant processes and facilities in London and Shanghai, IDC’s experts in user research, design, mechanical and electronics engineering and rapid prototyping work to create award-winning, world-leading products for global markets.    IDC’s track record includes many commercialized drug delivery devices across inhalation, nasal and injectables with a focus not just on design but also ensuring a smooth transition to production and regulatory approvals. IDC’s mission statement is “We innovate to create successful products which improve people’s lives”.  

Press Release
Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO, just announced an expansion of its nasal drug delivery capabilities with the addition of a family of innovative nasal powder delivery devices developed in partnership with IDC.

Hovione expands nasal drug delivery capabilities with the development of nasal powder delivery device technology in collaboration with IDC

Nov 29, 2023

Hovione has acquired ExtremoChem Lda, a start-up company with a portfolio of rare sugars, synthetic analogues of the natural molecules found in extremophiles. The acquisition provides Hovione with new high-performance functional materials, which have shown potential in stabilizing biopharmaceuticals. Lisbon, November 16, 2023, Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO and the leader in spray drying and particle engineering, today announced it has acquired ExtremoChem Lda (ExtremoChem), an innovative start-up company focused on the synthesis, development, and commercialization of bio-inspired synthetic sugars, targeting enhanced stabilization, reduced viscosity and delivery performance of proteins and other biopharmaceuticals.  ExtremoChem developed a library of proprietary sugars, synthetic analogues of natural molecules found in extremophiles – organisms capable of withstanding the most uninhabitable environments. These sugars have shown potential in overcoming challenges associated with the stabilization of biopharmaceuticals during production, purification, formulation, and transportation. Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione’s CEO commented: "Proteins and other biopharmaceuticals account for a significant share of our customers ´pipelines.  The acquisition of ExtremoChem’s synthetic sugars combined with Hovione's particle engineering capabilities provides our customers with a unique set of tools to optimize formulations that address stability issues encountered during the life cycle of biopharmaceuticals.” Filipe Aguiar, ExtremoChem’s Managing Director commented: “I am delighted that ExtremoChem has been acquired by Hovione. Hovione has a long history of developing and industrializing innovative technologies for the pharma industry. This acquisition will help ensure that the science we developed at ExtremoChem will have a wider and faster market adoption.” The announcement of this acquisition demonstrates Hovione´s commitment to expand its technology platforms. The company is investing both in new assets and innovative technologies to meet customer demand for integrated and differentiated development and manufacturing services in drug substance, particle engineering and drug product.   About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA-inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and devices.  Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality, and dependability. Hovione was the first Chemical/ Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp, is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.   About ExtremoChem ExtremoChem is a chemical synthesis start-up company focused on the development of organic synthetic sugars for the stabilization of biologicals under stress conditions.     

Press Release
Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO and the leader in spray drying and particle engineering, today announced it has acquired ExtremoChem Lda (ExtremoChem)

Hovione acquires ExtremoChem and its portfolio of proprietary sugars to support customers with stabilization and delivery of biopharmaceuticals

Nov 16, 2023

Lisbon, May 3, 2023 - Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO, leader in spray drying and particle engineering, and H&T Presspart have entered in a strategic partnership to advance the development of Presspart's Sunriser© Capsule-based Dry Powder Inhaler platform. The demand for inhalable drugs that require higher drug loads and the delivery of cohesive materials has increased, making it necessary to develop more efficient solutions. To meet this demand, the two companies will work together to develop the Sunriser© Dry Powder Inhaler. This innovative and best-in-class capsule-based platform is flexible enough to address both the challenges of classic carrier-based and spray-dried engineered formulations. This partnership is an extension of a successful collaboration that has spanned several years on developing and commercializing innovative dry powder inhalation devices. As part of the joint development agreement, Hovione will exclusively partner with Presspart to exploit the Sunriser© device in the field of engineered formulations for dry powder inhalation. Presspart will remain responsible for the manufacturing of the Sunriser© device. To provide further insights into the benefits of this partnership for the industry, a joint workshop will be held today, May 3rd, at the Respiratory Drug Delivery (RDD) Europe 2023. "New inhalable therapies are often requiring delivery of higher doses of cohesive and sensitive powders. Our priority is to ensure maximum efficiency in delivering these drugs to the right locations in the lung,” says Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione´s CEO. He adds: “We are thrilled to expand our current partnership with Presspart and combine our expertise in the fields of engineered particles and inhalers for the benefit of our customers and patients.”  Christian Kraetzig, President of H&T Presspart, commented “Following our successful collaboration with Hovione on the PowdAir Plus DPI device development, we are once again extremely pleased to be working with Hovione in developing this next generation high performance DPI device. As the market leader in respiratory components and devices, this strategic partnership will allow H&T Presspart to expand its portfolio within the growing field of dry powder technology.” Pharmaceutical companies partnering with Hovione to develop their new inhalable drugs using the Sunriser© device can leverage Hovione´s unparalleled expertise in inhalable APIs, formulation, filling, and analytical characterization. Additionally, with H&T Presspart's state-of-the-art device manufacturing and supply, from lab to commercial cGMP scale, companies can benefit from a comprehensive approach to drug development. This partnership enables pharmaceutical companies to access top-notch expertise and cutting-edge technology, ensuring the successful development and commercialization of innovative inhalable drugs.   About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and devices.  Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione was the first Chemical/ Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp, is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.   About H&T Presspart H&T Presspart is a market leading manufacturer of drug delivery devices and components with more than 50 years' experience and enjoys a worldwide reputation for competence, quality and innovation in the pharmaceutical market. With more than 30 engineers and scientists, H&T Presspart supports its customers in bringing to market new drug delivery devices. H&T Presspart has 4 European manufacturing sites in Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the UK and also has sales representation in China, India, the U.S.A. and Uruguay.     

Press Release
Hovione, the specialist integrated CDMO, leader in spray drying and particle engineering, and H&T Presspart have entered in a strategic partnership to advance the development of Presspart's Sunriser© Capsule-based Dry Powder Inhaler platform.

Hovione and H&T Presspart extend partnership to advance high efficiency device technology for Dry Powder Inhalation formulation delivery

May 03, 2023

Lisbon, March 22nd, 2023 – Hovione and Laxxon Medical announced a strategic collaboration to advance the use of 3D screen printing technologies for the pharmaceutical industry. This partnership combines Laxxon´s expertise in 3D screen printing, based on their SPID®-Technology, with Hovione’s product & process development, engineering and manufacturing expertise in pharmaceutical applications. Under the terms of the agreement, Hovione will establish the Laxxon Medical 3D screen printing technology at Hovione’s cGMP production sites first in Portugal and later in the USA.  The 3D technology displays numerous advantages including the potential to produce unique or customized dosage forms with characteristics that cannot be achieved with conventional dosage forms, the ability to create tablets of any shape and size, the option to easily adjust the number of active substances and individual components in the composition of the tablet and even to set the dosage individually for each patient for personalized medicines. “Laxxon is thrilled to establish a long-term partnership with Hovione.” said Klaus Kuehne, COO of Laxxon Medical. “This partnership will serve as a great accelerator in establishing 3D screen printing within the pharmaceutical industry thus accelerating our ability to serve our customers.” “Hovione has a global reputation for their pharmaceutical innovation services, expertise and market access. This agreement marks a significant milestone for Laxxon in terms of our own market strategy and development efforts.” said Helmut Kerschbaumer, Laxxon’s CEO. “We are looking forward to collaborating with Hovione to promote innovation through 3D screen printing.”  “We find the Laxxon Medical 3D printing technology to be very innovative and enabling. It not only allows for the customization and production of drug products with complex shapes and structures as well as unique API release characteristics but it also has the potential to reduce the time and cost of drug development” says Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione´s CEO. He adds “Hovione has a track record of turning emerging pharmaceutical production technologies into reliable and scalable offerings at both developmental and commercial scales. We are excited at the prospect of supporting Laxxon in industrializing its 3D printing technology and make it accessible to a greater number of pharmaceutical and medical device companies.” With this partnership the platform will be available from early development phases to routine commercial manufacturing.        About Laxxon Medical Laxxon Medical is a pharma-technology company pioneering patented cutting-edge 3D screen printing development and manufacturing solutions for the pharmaceutical industry. Laxxon’s SPID®-Technology (Screen Printing Innovational Drug Technology) facilitates different pharmaceutical forms of application such as oral, transdermal, and implantable dosage forms through geometric shaping and heterogeneous distribution of active ingredients, enabling different release profiles such as sequential release. SPID®-Technology is capable of printing small batches for R&D, up to commercial-scale production without the need to change the manufacturing process. SPID®-Technology (3D Screen Printing) SPID®-Technology (Screen Printed Innovative Drug Technology) is an additive manufacturing process which enables the development and production of complex formulations and geometrical structures of oral dosage forms to optimize the release profiles of common pharmaceuticals in addition to new drug developments.    About Hovione Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and devices. Hovione´s culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione was the first Chemical/ Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp, is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.    

Press Release
This partnership will create an opportunity for the pharmaceutical industry to develop and manufacture clinical materials and secure industrial scale production under cGMP with Hovione, using Laxxon Medical’s 3D screen printing technology.

Hovione and Laxxon Medical Establish an Agreement for the cGMP Production of 3D Screen Printed Pharmaceutical Applications

Mar 22, 2023

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