Aesica gets bigger in pre-filled syringes
pharmafile | October 8, 2013 | News story | Manufacturing and Production | Aesica, CDMO, pre-filled syringe
UK contract development and manufacturing organisation Aesica is expanding production capacity for pre-filled syringes at its plant in Nottingham to meet an expected rise in demand.
The CDMO said pre-filled syringes are seeing “huge growth both in the US and Europe, particularly for trials involving proteins and vaccines, as [they] remove the risk of dosing errors, contamination and needle injuries”.
The existing aseptic production facilities at the Nottingham facility are being extended with the installation and validation of pre-filled syringe manufacturing equipment that once completed in January 2014, will represent an investment of around £500,000 (around $680,000).
The new line can produce around 5,000 syringes in a batch and is targeted at companies carrying out clinical trials or those who need small-scale commercial production. Aesica says it has already been approached by ‘several clients’ looking for clinical trial materials supply.
“Over the next three years, Aesica is targeting production of 900,000 units and is already in advanced discussions with one company for the scale-up of a clinical trial product for which a joint validation is imminent,” said the firm in a statement.
The new equipment also opens up sales opportunities for Aesica to produce products like pen and cartridge syringes, as well as nasal delivery device.
Fast-growing market
Pre-filled syringes have been in the market for around 20 years, but have started to gain traction in recent years as the pharma market shifts from small molecules to protein and antibody-based medicines.
New developments – such as multi-chamber prefilled syringes for use with lyophilised drugs – are also expanding the market, as is a shift towards self-injection by patients.
At the moment pre-filled syringes account for around 25% of the total injectables market but is predicted to grow at nearly 14% a year between now and 2018 when it will be worth around $6.9 billion, according to market research firm Roots Analysis.
Ready to fill and sterile pre-filled syringes made up more than 80% of the pre-filled syringes market last year, with Europe and the US accounting for the bulk (80%) of sales.
“Demand is increasing for these products and very few other CDMOs are currently able to supply this in such quantities for clinical trials,” said Ian Lafferty, site director at Aesica’s Nottingham facility.
Phil Taylor
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