Roundup of the day’s top news at Interphex

The first day of the conference and exhibition has brought news from a number of prominent players, including SGS Life Science Services, Thermo Scientific and Capsugel. 

SGS​ 

Contract clinical and bioanyltical provider SGS Life Science Services has completed an expansion of its Mumbai, India, facility with validation of new equipment currently underway. The official opening of this lab is planned for May 20. 

The expansion, which will make it SGS’ largest stability testing facility, has seen the previous 1,393 square-meter laboratory space more than double in size, and, once validation is complete, the laboratory will act as a dedicated cGMP pharmaceutical testing site. The workforce has also increased from 65 to 115, with the potential for up to another 40 employees in the additional facilities. 

Investment at the laboratory has been focused on increasing stability chamber capacity, and in supporting chromatography equipment, including new UPLC (ultra-performance liquid chromatography) capabilities. 

Ferdinand Dabu, SGS global marketing director, told In-Pharmatechnologist.com that the site now has multiple, multinational clients, though he declined to name them. He also said the new facility will have a more open concept that will be conducive to scientist interactions. 

The Mumbai expansion follows SGS’s renovation of its Chennai, India, laboratory in 2014, increasing laboratory space within the facility. The number of employees increased from 60 to 75, with the flexibility to further accomodate up to 90. 

Paul House, Managing Director of SGS India, added: “These two facilities, coupled with our facility in Singapore, work very much as a harmonized unit, supporting not only local clients, but those across South East Asia and beyond​.” 

Thermo Scientific​ 

Thermo Scientific, meanwhile, unveiled a host of new products. A tour of the offerings given to In-Pharmatechnologist showed the extent to which the industry has shifted to disposable biomanufacturing. 

The new products include its HyPerforma Single-Use Mixers (SUM), which combine the benefits of its previous SUMs with advancements that address the requirements of single-use bioprocessors from scale-up to cGMP manufacturing. 

The company also unveiled its new Gibco Dynamis medium for cell culture fed-batch processes, which is used to maximize recombinant CHO cell growth and protein expression. 

In addition, Thermo released its new customized Fluid Transfer Service, which aims to simplify the biopharma manufacturing process. 

Capsugel​ 

Contract manufacturer Capsugel also showed In-Pharmatechnologist its latest Ultra III, a cGMP-compliant capsule filling machine. Designed for high-speed semi-automatic filling applications, the Capsugel Ultra III introduces new touch screen controls and a stainless steel tabletop. The machine features processing speeds of up to 33,000 capsules per hour. 

Missy Lowery, Capsugel’s senior marketing director for the Americas, told In-Pharmatechnologist that the Ultra III can accommodate smaller batches for oral solid dosages that can be difficult to fill. It also allows for a faster changeover in products.