UK-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Juniper Pharma Services has added a roller compactor to its enabling technologies platform. The company has purchased a Gerteis Mini-Pactor to expand its granulation capabilities and support recent capability extensions made in spray drying, Xcelodose technology, bi-layer tablets production and high-speed encapsulation.

Located in Juniper Pharma Services’ GMP-compliant production facility, the Mini-Pactor will process 10 grams per trial up to 100kg/h, making it ideal for early phase formulation development, clinical trial production, and small scale commercial manufacture.

“This roller compactor is a fantastic addition to our range of equipment and underlines our commitment to offering our clients high specification equipment and a wide range of technologies combined with our science-led problem solving expertise to facilitate their drug development programs,” said Ian Lafferty, vice president of operations, Juniper Pharma Services. “The Mini-Pactor provides us with a valuable tool for processing challenging compounds and meeting our clients’ needs, from development to production, on scalable equipment.”

The addition of the Mini-Pactor coincides with the arrival of the company’s new PSD-1 spray dryer and complements other recent equipment acquisitions. Collectively, these technologies extend the CDMO’s capabilities to ensure the company is equipped to support drug development at a clinical scale, while also giving clients a commercially robust and replicable process. This aligns with the industry’s shift towards continuous processing techniques.

The Mini-Pactor offers the latest in dry granulation technology, which improves the material handling and processing characteristics of poor-flowing materials, such as amorphous solid dispersions and low dose compounds including potent materials. An alternative option to traditional wet granulation techniques, dry granulation eliminates the need for the addition of liquids and heat, which in turn streamlines processing.