- Lonza has launched bespoke services to support the development and manufacturing of smart capsules for oral biologics.
Lonza, a global manufacturing partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech and nutraceutical markets, has announced an extension of its service offerings to support the development of smart capsules for orally delivered biologic therapies. This expansion reflects the company’s commitment to addressing bioavailability challenges and improving patient adherence in the growing oral biologics market, which is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 35% between 2023 and 2028.
Smart capsules represent an innovative approach to oral drug delivery. Incorporating electronic or mechanical elements, these capsules enhance precision and efficacy, delivering drugs directly to targeted regions like the stomach or intestine. With applications in areas such as diabetes and obesity, they offer promising advancements for patient-centred care.
Lonza’s new bespoke service includes highly customised capsule solutions tailored to specific needs, such as unique size, design, and locking mechanisms. These capsules can also feature functionalities like targeted release, achieved through bi-layer manufacturing technology. The offering addresses the unique demands of the smart capsules sector and provides flexible solutions adaptable to different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Bart Pelgrims, Vice President of R&D for Capsules & Health Ingredients at Lonza, stated, “The strong market interest in this bespoke offering for smart capsules, marked by the first customer already on board and additional discussions in progress, reinforces the value of our approach. By ensuring every detail of development, which goes beyond formulation, we are confident in our ability to support smart capsule innovators to help shape the future of healthcare.”
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