CDMO TECHNOLOGY

Top Technologies for European CDMOs

Analysis of the European CDMO landscape reveals the  technologies used by small molecule FDF contract manufacturers.

Created in partnership with Fuliginous Management Consulting ahead of CDMO Live 2024, this infographic highlights the technologies used by European CDMOs who develop and manufacture Finished Dosage Forms (FDF) of small molecules.

Methodology: The analysis is based on companies offering a technology, rather than individual facility.

George Ntortas, Fuliginous Management Consulting, who conducting the analysis explains:

“European CDMOs operate in a competitive environment. Many pharma companies offering CDMO services for small molecules.

While it is clear that the majority of European CDMOs are still offering traditional tablets, capsules and liquids/semi solids, the number of CDMOs producing steriles has also become now significant. If manufacturers want to survive, they need to keep up with latest technologies and trends – it is clear that they have to offer more than just traditional forms like plain tablets or capsules.”

 

Takeaways

The analysis reveals the following:

  • When it comes to sterile capabilities there are more CDMOs offering sterile glass vials compared to glass ampoules. One of the reasons is that more and more products are filled in vials vs ampoules, so CDMOs are keeping up with this trend.

 

  • More and more CDMOs are offering pre-filled syringes, something that was not the case previously. The same goes for high-potent sterile production. More and more CDMOs adding this to their arsenal keeping up with the trend we see in the market for oncology treatments.

 

  • There are a few CDMOs offering technologies that are not in such a great competition like blow fill seal amps, sterile bags and cartridges.

 

  • For Oral Solid Dosage forms, we see more and more CDMOs offering high-potent solids, but also CDMOs starting to add to their capabilities more difficult to produce products like pellets, spray drying and hot melt extrusion. The latter two help to solubility difficulties that some of the new products entering the market face.

 

  • At a time when the market for paediatric and geriatric treatments grows significantly, we see CDMOs capturing this trend by offering capabilities for patients with swallowing difficulties, like ODT, effervescent tabs, powder sachets and stick packs.

Top technologies for European FDF CDMOs

Here is the ranking of the top technologies offered by contract manufacturing organisations in Europe, by company (rather than facility) offering this service. 

Rank Technology No. of companies
1 Tablets 218
2 Capsules 192
3 Liquids 163
4 Creams / Ointments / Gels 135
5 Sterile Glass Vials 109
6 Non Sterile drops / sprays 105
7 Powder Sachets 97
8 Glass Ampoules 83
9 Lyo 71
10 Pre-filled Syringes 64
11 Hormonal / High Potent Tablets 60
12 Suppositories 53
13 Sterile Plastic Vials 49
14 Multilayer Tablets 41
15 Pellets 39
16 Mini Tablets 37
17 Effervescent Tablets 36
18 Powder Sticks 36
19 ODT Tablets 34
20 Soft Gels Capsules 32
21 High Potent Steriles 29
22 Blow fill Seal 28
23 Liquid Sachets / Sticks 27
24 Aerosols 23
25 Ophthalmic Ointments 21
26 Sterile powder vials 20
27 Cartridges 19
28 Sterile Bags 18
29 Spray Drying 16
30 Inhalers 16
31 Hot Melt Extrution 15
32 Liquid Filled Capsules 12
33 Lyo Tablets 3

 

Download the high resolution infographic + request the full data table

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