Frontage Labs Expands Clinical Trial Manufacturing Facility
By Cyndi Root
Frontage Labs announced in a press release that it plans to expand its clinical trial manufacturing (CTM) facility in Exton, PA. The expansion provides immediate capacity and room for future growth. The company will conduct the expansion in two phases, eventually providing more offices, laboratories, and manufacturing capabilities.
Dongmei Wang, SVP of CMC Services said, “Consistent growth over recent years is enabling us to expand capacity and service offerings. The infrastructure improvements will allow us to meet ever-thriving client demand for product development support, while adding efficiency gains to small scale CTM production and laboratory throughput.”
Frontage Labs CTM Expansion
The first phase of expansion will begin mid-2014 with 8000 square feet of office space and two analytical laboratories. The company expects the first phase to be complete by the end of September 2014. The second phase will center around the CTM facilities for solid, semi-solid, and sterile pharmaceutical products. Additional space, equipment, and processes will be devoted packaging, labeling, and distribution functions. The second phase will begin at the start of 2015 and be complete by mid-2015. Frontage estimates that this expansion will increase capacity by more than fifty percent.
About Frontage
Frontage’s focus is on organic synthesis, formulation development, GMP analytical testing, and GMP clinical trial material manufacturing. The full-service company works with biopharmaceutical companies on all stages of trials — from early to late stage — and has developed oral solid, semi-solid, liquid, and sterile dosage forms that were used in clinical trials. The company has worked with pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., EU, and Asia.
In December of 2013, Frontage announced that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) approved Frontage’s handling capabilities for Schedules I–V drugs, enabling Frontage to manufacture drugs for pain and central nervous system (CNS) conditions.
Recent Frontage Expansion
Prior to this expansion announcement, Frontage has made other recent moves to enhance its position. Announced in a press release, Frontage is building a 33,000 square foot clinical research center in Secaucus, NJ, scheduled for completion by the end of 2014. Frontage has another clinical research center in Hackensack, NJ.
Frontage also announced in a press release in May that Hangzhou Tigermed Consulting, a CRO in China and Asia Pacific, will acquire a majority position in Frontage for a cash payment of $50.25 million.