Piramal starts APIs at Riverview

Piramal Pharma Solutions has begun production of initial batches of APIs in new reactor suites at its facility in Riverview, Michigan. This, the company said, represent the first in a three-step process for the development and manufacturing of Phase II clinical trial materials. As part of the programme, technicians are scaling up material from 10-15 kg to 75-80 kg.

The first phase of Project PRIME, as the expansion is known, began in May 2021 and involved $38 million in equipment and construction costs. It features 10 m3 of reactor capacity that can produce HPAPIs to OELs of >1ug/m3, plus a pressure dryer filter. The facility, currently covering about 2,300 m2, is readily scalable to add more reactor bays as part of the second phase.

This follows on from a recently completed expansion at Piramal’s API site in Aurora, Ontario. Costing C$30 million, this added over 900 m3 of manufacturing and utility space, including two new reactor suites with additional filtration and drying capabilities. Both investments were prompted, said CEO Peter DeYoung, by “the industry trend for onshoring of drug substance production”.