Baxter Completes Capacity Expansion to Support Oncology Contract Manufacturing Services

Baxter International Inc.’s BioPharma Solutions business, a premier contract manufacturing organization (CMO) that specializes in parenteral pharmaceuticals, recently announced it has completed an approximately 1,800-square-meter capacity expansion designed for oncology drugs at the company’s fill/finish contract manufacturing facility in Halle (Westfalen), Germany.

The additional capacity reinforces BioPharma Solutions’ leadership position as one of the largest capacity CMOs for freeze-dried (lyophilized) cytotoxic (having a toxic effect on cells) parenterals. Cytotoxic therapies like the ones manufactured at Halle continue to be at the center of oncology treatment programs.

“Cancer incidence continues to rise, and this completed expansion offers not only capacity but innovative processes and technologies that will allow Baxter to stay at the forefront of parenteral manufacturing for oncology therapies,” said Dr. Burkhard Wichert, Vice President of Manufacturing for Baxter’s BioPharma Solutions business. “We take seriously our commitment to world-class contract manufacturing of oncology products, and understand that the better we can serve our customers, the better they can serve patients around the world.”

The updated facility was designed by engineers with extensive experience in sterile manufacturing as an evolution of the reliable processes and equipment on-site. This includes new equipment combined with innovative disinfection systems and an optimized layout to improve efficiency, prevent contamination, and keep potential losses on the filling line to a minimum. Extensive use of glass throughout the expansion area significantly improves visibility for workers and visitors.

The ongoing development of the Halle facility is the latest in a series of recent expansions that took place in 2007 and 2011 and the addition of a new packaging line in 2013 designed to meet advanced packaging requirements of pharmaceuticals worldwide.

“Our recent facility upgrades support early phase drug formulation through commercial scale-up, product launch, and lifecycle management,” said Dr. Wichert. “This most recent expansion will enable us to meet customers’ demands for flexibility, product quality, and high yield while accommodating future needs.”

Baxter’s Halle facility has a wide range of parenteral manufacturing expertise including commercial-scale production of small molecules, biologics, antibody drug conjugates, emulsions, liposomes, and suspensions. The site is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and is one of the most advanced facilities for contract manufacturing of parenteral oncology drugs in the world. With more than 60 years of experience, the facility’s capabilities include process development, aseptic filling and lyophilization of oncologic and other sophisticated parenterals in clinical and commercial batch sizes, sterile crystallization of cytotoxic active pharmaceutical ingredients, and sterile powder filling of vials.

Baxter’s BioPharma Solutions business supports leading pharmaceutical companies in meeting their commercialization objectives by providing scientific expertise, sterile manufacturing solutions, parenteral delivery systems and customized support services needed to meet the unique challenges that parenteral products face. For more information, visit www.baxterbiopharmasolutions.com.