Press Room

Press Release / Oct 19, 2011

Hovione´s Rapid Proof of Concept Dry Powder Inhalation Product Development

Loures, Portugal, 19 October 2011 – Hovione today announced the launch of its Rapid Proof of Concept Study for the development of dry powder inhalation (DPI) products.

Building on Hovione's well established DPI development capability, the new service simplifies the development of formulations, producing a proof of concept formulation of a client's molecule in just a few weeks.

Hovione has simplified DPI product development, reduced complexity and reduced the time required for completion by mastering, in concert, particle engineering, formulation technology and inhaler design, the three disciplines vital to the development of a successful product. Unlike other CROs, Hovione has all of this expertise under one roof, eliminating the coordination issues clients often experience in having to use multiple CROs. The results of this are reduced coordination costs, shortened development timescales and a stream-lining of the development process.

Peter Villax, Hovione's Vice President of Pharma & Innovation commented “this new Rapid Proof of Concept service offers clients a low risk look at the feasibility of developing a DPI product and gives clients greater confidence about going into later stage development”. “Clients of the new service don't just get a report, they get their first DPI formulation” he added.

In a short period of time and for relatively little investment, a drug developer can acquire a DPI formulation, potentially adding significant value to an early stage out-licensing opportunity or helping a company move into a stronger position in funding negotiations with venture capitalists.

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.

Contacts at Hovione

Phil Nelson, PhD
Business Development Manager
pnelson@hovione.com
+351 219 847 619

Isabel Pina
Corporate Communications
ipina@hovione.com
+351 219 829 362

 

 

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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).    

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