Catalent to acquire Juniper Pharmaceuticals
Submitted by:
Sara Waddington
Catalent, Inc, a leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health products, has announced that it is acquiring Juniper Pharmaceuticals, including its Nottingham, UK-based Juniper Pharma Services division.
When combined with Catalent’s existing industry-leading drug development and manufacturing capabilities in the US and Europe, the acquisition of Juniper will expand and strengthen Catalent’s offerings in formulation development, bioavailability solutions and clinical-scale oral dose manufacturing and will complement its integrated global clinical and commercial supply network.
Like Catalent, Juniper has expertise in solid-state and preclinical formulation screening for lead-candidate selection, phase-appropriate dose-form development and superior technologies for challenging molecules, which will strengthen and expand on Catalent’s OptiForm Solution Suite platform. Juniper provides bioavailability enhancement solutions for the development of poorly soluble compounds, including nano-milling, spray drying, hot-melt extrusion, lipid-based drug delivery and cGMP clinical manufacturing, including specialised facilities and controls for potent and controlled substances.
The acquisition is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including that a majority of Juniper’s shares are tendered into the offer. It is expected to close in the first quarter of Catalent’s 2019 fiscal year, which began on 1 July 2018.
Image: Catalent’s acquisition of Jupiter Pharmaceuticals will complement its own early-phase development centres of excellence, such as the one in San Diego (top), where Catalent has extensive experience in spray-drying technologies.