Ravensburg, Germany, June 15, 2011 / B3C newswire / – Vetter, a leading specialist in aseptic filling, has installed three additional state-of-the-art lyophilizers at the company’s Ravensburg Vetter South facility, nearly doubling its number of freeze-dryers. Altogether, the site will be able to produce up to 24 million lyophilized units annually. The new equipment increases the number of lyophilizers across all Vetter facilities by 30 percent. The company made the investment to meet anticipated future demand for aseptically filled biologics and other sensitive compounds, which often require lyophilization to prolong shelf life and potency. In the last three years, more than 30 percent of all novel drugs approved in the United States were lyophilized, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Experts predict continued growth.
A leading expert in the lyophilization of injectable drugs, Vetter introduced lyophilization services in 1981. Vetter innovated dual-chamber technology, used by the Vetter Lyo-Ject® syringe and V-LK ® cartridge, to quickly and easily reconstitute lyophilized compounds. Lyophilized drug resides in one chamber; diluent in the other. Just prior to administration, the diluent is pushed through a channel between the two chambers to reconstitute the drug. In addition to ease of use, the closed system supports more accurate dosing and increased API yield.
“Like our customers, we anticipate substantial growth in the demand for lyophilized compounds,” says Peter Soelkner, Managing Director at Vetter. “They have become pivotal components of the portfolio and strategy of many pharmaceutical and biotech companies, which are continuously developing new drugs in this segment. In turn, as a strategic partner to our clients, we continuously invest in the infrastructure and equipment needed to support their needs in commercial manufacturing.”
Vetter expertise at the BIO 2011
Vetter will offer detailed information on its lyophilization expertise at the 2011 BIO International Convention, Washington, D.C. (U.S.), June 27-30. The company will occupy booth number #4029 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
About Vetter
Vetter is an independent international specialist in the aseptic filling of syringes, cartridges and vials. The company has extensive experience with a broad array of substances, including monoclonal antibodies, peptides, interferons and vaccines. Headquartered in Ravensburg, Germany, Vetter provides support for pharmaceutical and biotech clients from preclinical development through regulatory approval and global market supply. Vetter’s new Chicago facility, an expansion of Vetter Development Service, supports early-stage products. The firm works with the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and employs approx. 2,400 staff across Europe and the United States . The innovator of the Vetter Lyo-Ject® dual-chamber syringe and V-LK® cartridge, the company holds nearly 140 patents and is a leader in the use of RABS technology in cleanrooms. Approved as a foreign manufacturer by the government of Japan, Vetter’s global regulatory experience includes numerous customer product approvals by the FDA, EMA and other authorities. Over its more than 25-year history in aseptic filling, Vetter has won many awards for its facilities and operations, including the 2010 SAP EMEA Quality Award, silver medal, for the implementation of a companywide planning software system.
For more information contact:
Vetter Pharma International GmbH
Oskar Gold
Eywiesenstrasse 5
88212 Ravensburg
Germany
phone: +49-(0)751-3700-3729
fax: +49-(0)751-3700-7707
e-mail: press@vetter-pharma.com
www.vetter-pharma.com
