Pharmaceutical Business review

Catalent agrees to buy Pharmatek Laboratories

Pharmatek, founded in 1999, offers dosage form development and clinical-scale cGMP manufacturing of oral, injectable and topical products for over 100 customers globally.

The acquisition will add discovery-to-clinic drug development capabilities, extend Catalent’s ability for managing highly potent compounds, and add spray drying to its technologies.

Catalent said the addition of spray drying will offer its customers with a suite of bioavailability enhancement solutions, and complement and extend its OptiForm Solution Suite platform, designed to find the optimal formulation pathway for poorly soluble compounds.

Pharmatek’s site in San Diego employs about 200 people. It includes 68,000ft² of laboratory, manufacturing and support space, with two analytical labs, two formulation labs, four engineering rooms and nine manufacturing suites.

The site also features 18,000ft² of laboratory, manufacturing and support space used to develop and manufacture highly-potent compounds.

Catalent drug delivery solutions business president Barry Littlejohns said: Combined with Catalent’s existing technologies and network, the addition of Pharmatek’s well-established scientific expertise and spray dry capabilities will create an unparalleled drug development platform, while the San Diego facility will expand our West Coast presence and provides additional access to the Asia-Pacific markets.”

Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to complete in the coming weeks.