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Press Release / Aug 25, 2026

Hovione Completes €40 Million Expansion of Loures Tablet Manufacturing Center Adding Commercial-Scale Batch Tableting Capacity

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  • Expansion strengthens integrated manufacture of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) by spray drying and tableting at a single site, accelerating development and simplifying supply
  • 25% increase in the center’s manufacturing area adds 50 skilled jobs to Hovione’s main industrial, scientific and technological site

LOURES, Portugal – August 25, 2026 – Hovione, a globally-integrated specialist pharmaceutical CDMO, has completed expansion of the company’s tablet development and manufacturing center at its main global campus in Loures, Portugal adding 25 percent more commercial-scale batch tableting capacity for the integrated supply of oral solid dosage products. The recently inaugurated expansion completes an investment cycle of more than €40 million.

Hovione expanded its batch tableting capacity by adding an additional line mirroring the original unit across every local operation: dispensing, blending, dry granulation, and tableting and film coating. The mirrored configuration reinforces capacity at the 300 to 400 kg batch scale and provides both redundancy and like-for-like product transfers between lines, reducing the process risk that typically accompanies the move from development into commercial supply. Supporting areas, including in-process control and staging space sized to the increased production capacity were also added as part of the expansion.

The added capacity strengthens Hovione’s ability to manufacture ASDs by spray drying and tablet them into finished oral dosage forms at a single site. Executing both steps within one quality system compresses development timelines and simplifies supply chains for customers who would otherwise transfer intermediates between sites and/or suppliers. Demand for the single-site service continues to grow as ASD by spray drying remains a vital solution for poor solubility that slows development timelines for over 70% of new molecular entities.

“This investment completes our existing capabilities in Portugal and strengthens the competitiveness of our operations. It gives us greater scale and flexibility to respond to the needs of an industry that is seeking to develop new medicines more quickly and build more resilient supply chains closer to its markets. This is an important step in continuing to support our customers internationally,” said António Almeida and Marco Gil, Co-CEOs of Hovione.

In 2022, Hovione invested in a next-generation continuous tablet manufacturing line at the same industrial complex. As pharmaceutical companies increasingly evaluate continuous manufacturing alongside established batch processes, Hovione has continued to invest in resilient manufacturing infrastructure that supports both current customer needs and future demand.

“Mirroring the line rather than simply adding equipment was a deliberate choice,” said Jorge Pastilha, VP of Technical Operations for Europe and Asia at Hovione. “It means a product validated on one line can move to the other without reformulation or process redevelopment, which gives customers continuity of supply.”

The investment created 50 skilled jobs in production, engineering, quality, science and technology at the Hovione Sete Casas facility in Loures, which employs approximately 1,250 people and supplies customers that include 19 of the world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical companies. The expansion also increases Hovione’s export capacity and further establishes Portugal as a hub for the development and manufacture of medicines for patients worldwide.

Drug developers evaluating commercial-scale tableting capacity, or integrated supply of ASDs and finished oral solid dosage forms, are invited to contact Hovione at www.hovione.com/contact-us to discuss their programs.

About Hovione

Hovione is an international company with over 65 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. For more information, please visit www.Hovione.com

For more information, please contact:

Miguel Jerónimo | Head of Global Communications | mjeronimo@hovione.com | Tel: +351 934 013 549 
Scott Santiamo I Sr. Manager, Global Communications I ssantiamo@hovione.com I Tel: +1 718 344 5843

 

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