Bend Research adds HP spray drying facility

The high containment plant, in Oregon, US, is built to International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) Class 8 clean-room spec, and has engineering controls at the equipment level.

The firm hopes the move will help attract more business from new and existing clients looking for HP formulation and manufacturing services to deliver active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) through inhalation or nasally.

“This facility will complement our small molecule current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) spray drying capabilities,”​ said CEO Rod Ray, adding that it will also boost biotherapeutic delivery technologies, with expanded spray drying capability for peptides, proteins, and virus-like particles (VLPs).

Speaking to Outsourcing-Pharma.com, senior VP of research David Lyon, said the new facility is a response to a growing industry need for spray drying services.

“The use of spray-drying for pharmaceutical applications is important because amorphous dispersions are a key delivery technology for increasing the solubility of BCS Class II and IV drugs, which make up an increasing proportion of compounds in pharmaceutical pipelines,”​ he said.

A piece of the puzzle​

In a statement, Bend said the facility is just part of its expansion plans, which also included growth in the oral-solid dose arena through a partnership with Catalent​.

It has also purchased a building for “future expansion of development and manufacturing capabilities.”​

When asked what area the company has its sights set on for growth,Lyonsaid digital modelling is a probable candidate.

“Other expansions are likely as Bend Research explores new fields of study, including electricity storage, and computer-based modeling systems—which use complex mathematical formulas to develop models for new technology in medical, energy and other fields,”​ he said.