Catalent Licenses Innovative Technology


Following a successful research collaboration, Catalent Pharma Solutions recently announced it has taken an exclusive license to innovative taste-masking technology developed by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The technology has been developed to mask the most challenging, unpleasant, and bitter-tasting pharmaceutical active ingredients.

Under the terms of the license, Catalent will complete transfer of the technology into its world class, cGMP facilities to support manufacture of novel dosage forms, such as its Zydis fast-dissolve platform. It is expected the taste-masking technology will be effective for developing a wide variety of formulations, including granules/sachets, sprinkles, chewables, effervescent, and oral dispersible tablets.

“Taste-masking of fine drug particles has remained a technical challenge for formulators,” said Dr. Rajesh Davé, Distinguished Professor and Principal Investigator at NJIT. “Through funding from Catalent, we have been able to leverage our expertise to innovate technology and processes that allow for these materials to be cost effectively coated and taste-masked.”

Kurt Nielsen, PhD, Catalent’s Senior Vice President of Research and Development, added, “Dr. Davé and his group at NJIT are leaders in pharmaceutical particle engineering. The unique approach to API coating is a perfect complement to Catalent’s extensive dose form capabilities and will facilitate formulation of the most difficult-to-taste-mask actives. Catalent has already produced the first feasibility samples, which have exceeded our expectations. This efficient and versatile taste-masking technology will allow development of new dosage forms, delivering significant advantages to our customers and benefits to patients and consumers in global markets.”

Catalent Pharma Solutions is the global leader in development solutions and advanced drug delivery technologies, providing world-wide clinical and commercial supply capabilities for drugs, biologics, and consumer health products. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

NJIT, New Jersey’s science and technology university, enrolls more than 9,558 students pursuing bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in 120 programs. The university consists of six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Design, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, College of Computing Sciences and Albert Dorman Honors College. For more information, visit www.njit.edu.