CRO

Catalent breathes $20M into inhalant business

Catalent Pharma Solutions is looking to expand its North Carolina-based inhalant unit, investing $20 million to expand the business' drug development, delivery and supply capabilities.

The company operates its Inhalation Center of Excellence in Research Triangle Park, and the cash infusion is designed to expand the facility's pressurized metered dose inhaler clinical and commercial supply capabilities, Catalent said.

Pulmonary and nasal is the second-largest drug delivery market, Catalent exec Scott Houlton said, and the investment will help position the company as a world leader in inhalable development and supply.

"This $20 million investment will upgrade our [pressurized metered dose inhaler] manufacturing capacity and allow us to better support our customers from early development all the way through to commercialization," Houlton said in a statement.

The latest investment follows Catalent's efforts to raise its delivery prowess in dissolvables, injectables and controlled release, and the company recently launched its Applied Drug Delivery Institute, looking to bring together industry leaders, academic experts, customers and regulators on current and emerging drug delivery technologies.

- read Catalent's release