Portuguese CDMO Hovione completes factory expansions in US, Ireland

Hovione, a Portuguese CDMO that specializes in spray drying, completed multiyear expansion projects at manufacturing facilities in New Jersey and Cork, Ireland.

In 2021, the company set out on a $170 million effort to increase its global production capacity. The expansion push called for a new 31,000-square-foot building to be added at Hovione's facility in East Windsor, New Jersey, the company said at the time.

Across the pond, Hovione’s spray drying capacity in Cork has been "significantly" increased, the company said in a November 25 press release.

The New Jersey and Ireland expansions have created 40 new jobs, according to the release.

“These expansions, incorporating our latest technologies, reflect Hovione’s unwavering commitment to innovation and manufacturing service excellence,” Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione’s chief executive, said in this week's release. “By increasing our capacity and enhancing our technological capabilities, we are even better equipped to help our customers bring new and more complex drugs to market.”

The process of spray drying converts liquid solutions into fine powders that provide better dissolution and absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs. It's an important production method for inhalable therapies and oral formulations with low bioavailability.

Hovione, which has been manufacturing drugs for 65 years, operates production sites in the U.S., China, Portugal and Ireland. In November 2021, the CDMO said it planned to increase its overall capacity by 25% and add 300 new jobs globally.