Encap begins construction of encapsulation plant

Scottish drug delivery company Encap has begun construction of a new plant in Scotland to meet increased demand for its contract encapsulation services.

Encap says it will invest GBP 3m (USD 6.1m) in the new production facility, which will increase manufacturing capacity by up to 60 per cent.

The new site should be operational by June 2008, added the company.

Encap specialises in formulating high-potency cytotoxic compounds, which it then encapsulates using three proprietary sustained-release technologies: DuoCap, LayerCap and Abusolve. The technologies control when and where in the body the drug will be released.

Encap says that liquid-fill encapsulation is one of the fastest growing sectors of the drug delivery market, increasing at an annual rate of 10 to 30 per cent. The burgeoning biologics market is also responsible for growth, as vulnerable small molecule and protein-based drugs are protected by encapsulation as they pass down the alimentary canal.

Encap's customer base includes small biotechs to large pharmaceutical companies looking to reformulate existing products to extend their lifecycle. Currently, Encap is partnering with an unnamed US pharma client for a generic product which will soon be submitted to the FDA for accreditation.