Press Room

Press Release / Oct 19, 2011

Hovione and Bend Research Enter Into Collaboration To Advance Clients’ Best Medicines

HOVIONE, a worldwide pharmaceutical manufacturing firm and BEND, OR – Bend Research Inc. (www.bendresearch.com), a leading independent drug-formulation development company, announced today that they have entered into a nonexclusive, cooperative relationship.

The collaboration will give Bend Research clients access to Hovione’s commercial-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities worldwide and give Hovione clients access to Bend Research’s oral drug-delivery, formulation, and engineering expertise.

“Hovione has world-class commercial-scale spray-drying capabilities—both staff and facilities. We’re excited about this collaboration because Hovione will expand the range of manufacturing options available to our clients,” said Bend Research Chief Executive Officer Rod Ray.

In addition to manufacturing, the collaboration builds upon both companies’ expertise in many types of specialized formulations, including engineered particles for inhaled delivery.

Dave Hoffman, VP Exclusives and Particle Design, said, “Hovione is very pleased to work collaboratively with Bend, a company with such extensive expertise in early and mid-stage development. Leveraging on their capabilities, this collaboration will allow both companies to provide a comprehensive and integrated solution from development to commercial scale. ”

The collaboration will allow seamless technology transfer between the two companies, leveraging Bend Research’s clinical-trial-scale manufacturing facilities and scale-up and transfer expertise with Hovione’s wide range of capabilities, which includes cGMP manufacturing facilities in the U.S, Ireland, Portugal, and China.

In addition, the agreement gives Hovione clients access to Bend Research’s expertise in oral drug delivery, formulation, and process engineering, including its proprietary drug-delivery technologies.

“This effort is a key part in our commitment to getting our clients’ best new medicines to market as quickly and efficiently as possible, and with the highest quality,” Ray said.

About Hovione

Hovione is an international company with over 50 years’ experience in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient development and compliant manufacture. With four FDA inspected sites in the U.S., China, Ireland, and Portugal, the company focuses on the most demanding customers, in the most regulated markets. The company also offers integrated API, particle design and formulation development and manufacturing. In the inhalation area, Hovione is the only independent company offering such a broad range of services. Hovione employs 1,100 people worldwide.

About Bend Research Inc.

For more than 35 years, Bend Research has worked with clients to create value by advancing new medicines that improve human health and to solve their most difficult scientific and technical problems. This success is based on the company’s ability to develop, advance, and commercialize pharmaceutical technologies. The firm’s innovative drug-delivery solutions grow from a solid base of scientific and engineering fundamental understanding.

Bend Research provides formulation and dosage-form support, assists in process development and optimization, manufactures clinical-trial quantities of drug candidates in its cGMP facilities, and advances promising drug candidates from conception through commercialization. Bend Research is a leader in novel drug formulations, including those based on solubilization (e.g., spray-dried dispersions), hot-melt extrusion, inhalation, controlled-release, and biotherapeutic technologies. Bend Research has more than 240 employees based in four state-of-the-art facilities in Bend, Ore., USA.

For more information about Bend Research

Contact Phoenix Ivers by email at Phoenix.Ivers@BendResearch.com,
by phone at 541-382-4100 and
visit www.bendresearch.com

For more information about Hovione

Isabel Pina
Corporate Communications
ipina@hovione.com
+351 21 982 9362

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