- Piramal Pharma Solutions has installed a Korsch X3 high-containment tablet press at its Morpeth, UK site to expand HPAPI manufacturing capacity.
- The investment coincides with the site’s 20th anniversary and supports both clinical and commercial-scale contract manufacturing.
Piramal Pharma Solutions has installed a Korsch X3 high-containment tablet press at its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and oral solid development and manufacturing facility in Morpeth, UK. The installation aligns with the site’s 20th anniversary of providing drug product manufacturing services.
The new equipment is designed to support the production of tablets containing highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs). It is equipped with a DryCon containment kit and configured to meet containment requirements associated with high-potency compounds. The system includes two customized turrets, enabling the manufacture of tablets up to 25 mm and expanding the range of formulations that can be produced at the site.
The investment follows the earlier commissioning of a Korsch XM12 single layer/bilayer tablet press at Morpeth. As demand increased across late-phase and commercial programs, the site required equipment capable of handling a wider range of tablet sizes at both clinical and commercial scales. The Korsch X3 was selected based on an existing relationship with the equipment provider.
The tablet press includes contained infeed from tote bins using split butterfly valve transitions and a finished product chute that transfers tablets directly to coating operations. Additional features include glove ports and a misting system designed to manage residual dust following batch completion. The system is also designed to support a single-operator workflow and increase throughput.
“By expanding Morpeth’s capacity to manufacture tablets containing Band 5 HPAPIs, the Korsch X3 strengthens our ability to serve patients in therapeutic areas where high potency materials are essential, such as hormonals made in a dedicated hormone manufacturing facility.”
Peter DeYoung, CEO of Piramal Global Pharma
