CDMO Recipharm announced that it has hired former Koura Global Business Development Director Simon Gardner as Business Development Specialist for pMDIs to assist customers with the transition to LGWP propellants. Recipharm President, Advanced Delivery Systems, Chris Hirst commented, “Vital to a successful transition for our customers is having access to a team of experts to help guide them through the process. Simon’s wealth of experience in medical propellants, including the launch of Zephex HFA-152a during his time at Koura, means our customers will be in safe hands as he helps them navigate the move to greener devices.”
At the same time, the company announced a partnership with CRO Oz-UK for development and manufacturing of metered dose inhalers using LGWP propellants and Bespak brand valves and actuators. Recipharm launched services for companies transitioning their MDIs from HFA to lower-GWP propellants in April 2022.
According to Recipharm, the initial focus of the Oz-UK partnership will be on formulations using Koura’s Zephex HFA-152a as the propellant. Recipharm also recently announced that it is working with Honeywell on MDIs using Honeywell’s Solstice Air (HFO-1234ze(E)) as a propellant. The company says that it is expanding its commercial scale MDI manufacturing capacity at its facility in Holmes Chapel, UK and that Oz-UK is also adding LGWP MDI manufacturing for both solution and suspension formulations.
Oz-UK co-founder David Lewis said, “Recipharm’s agility in adapting to the challenges of the new greener propellants is impressive, and a big part of what attracted us to work with them. We’ve requested specific valve builds and have been able to put them on products and test them in our lab within a week. This is the speed that is needed for success in the transition to low-GWP propellants, and we are excited to see our clients’ programs accelerate as a result of this collaboration.”
Hirst stated, “Oz-UK has an excellent reputation for innovation in methods and processes for accelerating the early stages of product formulation. This relationship will enable us to bring greener pMDIs to the patients who rely on them to treat chronic illnesses such as asthma and COPD more quickly than ever before.”
Read the Recipharm press release.
