Catalent Pharma Solutions is investing nearly $14 million to expand biologics packaging capabilities and capacity at its Bloomington, IN, biologics manufacturing facility.
 
Construction of the 15,000-square-foot facility infrastructure, which will include five new packaging suites and a new quality control laboratory, is due to be completed in February 2019, with installation and commissioning of new equipment to be phased throughout the year. This will include both a semi-automated and fully-automated top loading cartoner, an accessorized combination syringe assembly machine, an automated auto-injector assembly machine, and two semi-automatic visual inspection machines.
 
The expansion augments existing capabilities, meeting the necessary flexibility requirements for current and future market demand, and will provide customers with faster, automated packaging solutions. Additionally, the auto-injector and accessorized syringe assembly machines will help address market growth of these delivery technologies driven by a desire for improved patient compliance and safety for health care providers who administer injections. It is estimated that the expansion will create 36 new jobs at the site, which Catalent acquired in 2017.
 
“This significant investment is due in a large part to Catalent’s extensive expertise in helping customers successfully navigate all stages of development and gain commercial approval for their drug products,” said Cory Lewis, vice president and general manager of the Catalent Biologics Drug Product business. “The packaging expansion will further enhance our comprehensive end-to-end offering for clinical and commercial customers, complementing the services that Catalent Biologics provides, including cell line development, biologics analytical, biomanufacturing, antibody-drug conjugate development, drug product fill/finish, and clinical supply services.”
 
Catalent’s 875,000-square-foot biologics development and manufacturing facility in Bloomington employs 900 staff. The site recently achieved regulatory approval for a twentieth commercial product, and has deep expertise in sterile formulation and extensive biomanufacturing and drug product fill/finish capacity across liquid and lyophilized vials, prefilled syringes, and cartridges.