CDMO Bespak says that it has already received new MDI filling equipment for one new LGWP propellant MDI manufacturing line at its Holmes Chapel, UK facility and that it has ordered equipment for another LGWP line at that plant. Both lines will be able to handle both HFO-1234ze and HFA-152a. According to Bespak, 100% of capacity for the first of the new lines has already been booked. However, the company has not yet allotted the additional capacity provided by the second line and says that it “will be running a process to allocate this capacity to customers in August.”
GMP clinical and commercial scale capacity for filling HFO-1234ze are already available at Holmes Chapel, Bespak says, and GLP laboratory scale filling is currently available at its site in North Carolina for both LGWP propellants. The company notes that it expects to have clinical scale capacity to fill HFA-152a at Holmes Chapel by the third quarter of this year, and commercial scale filling for HFA 152a is expected to be available at that facility by the end of 2027.
Bespak Business Development Director Simon Gardner commented, “The change to low GWP is accelerating and this is creating a major gap between demand and the available capacity for low-GWP pMDI filling. This acceleration in adoption of sustainable low-GWP propellants will place increasing pressure on global pMDI supply chains that will further increase as customers inevitably make commitments to change to HFA-152a and HFO-1234ze propellants in the coming months. It appears likely that some companies will find it hard to meet their transition timelines as the capacity that is currently available is taken up. At Bespak we recognize this, and our focus is to support the transition of as many pMDI formulations as possible, ensuring essential pMDI products remain available for patients.”
Richard Turner, Head of Business Development at Bespak, added: “Bespak has invested significantly to support the industry in its transition to low GWP, and the demand we are seeing is commensurate with the lack of capacity out there. We have also put in place a network of experts to create a simplified roadmap for the adoption of the new propellants, such as our partnerships with H&T Presspart, Honeywell, MEU and Oz-UK. We are delighted by the response from customers and look forward to working together to transition their products.”
Read the Bespak press release.
