Symeres expands spray drying capabilities to accelerate complex small molecule development

At Symeres, we are pleased to announce the expansion of our integrated spray drying capabilities at our Cranbury, New Jersey CMC development site. This investment strengthens our ability to support formulation development for poorly soluble and development-challenged small molecule drug candidates, helping biotech and pharmaceutical companies accelerate progress from preclinical development through to Phase II clinical studies.

As the complexity of modern drug candidates continues to increase, many compounds require advanced formulation strategies to achieve the bioavailability and performance needed for successful clinical development. Our expanded spray drying capability has been designed to support bioavailability enhancement approaches, including amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs), particle engineering and solubility optimisation.

The investment further strengthens our integrated Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) offering by bringing together spray drying, formulation sciences, analytical characterisation, solid-state sciences and process development within a single scientific environment. By combining these capabilities under one roof, we can support more efficient development programmes and help reduce complexity throughout the drug development journey.

Commenting on the expansion, Paul O’Shea, Managing Director at Exemplify BioPharma, a Symeres company, said:

“An increasing proportion of modern small molecule drug candidates require advanced formulation approaches to achieve acceptable bioavailability and clinical performance.”

He added:

“By expanding our spray drying capabilities within our integrated Cranbury CMC site, we can help clients address developability challenges earlier, reduce operational complexity and support faster progression into clinical development.”

The Cranbury site now supports both laboratory-scale and pilot-scale spray drying workflows, enabling rapid material screening, process optimisation and scalable process development. These capabilities are particularly valuable for Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) Class II and IV compounds, highly lipophilic molecules and targeted therapies that require enhanced oral exposure.

Unlike standalone spray drying service providers, Symeres combines formulation scientists, analytical experts and process development teams within a single location. This integrated approach enables closer collaboration across disciplines, supporting faster troubleshooting, streamlined decision-making and more efficient programme progression.

Discussing the scientific advantages of this model, Paul O’Shea said:

“Spray drying programs require a deep understanding of particle morphology, physical stability, crystallinity, dissolution behavior and residual solvent control. The ability to combine formulation development, analytical characterization and process expertise within one integrated environment creates a more efficient and agile development model for clients.”

The expanded capability supports a broad range of development activities, including early formulation feasibility studies, IND-enabling development, clinical trial material support, process optimisation and technology transfer.

Henning Steinhagen, CEO of Symeres, commented:

“Our investment in spray drying demonstrates Symeres’ commitment to supporting every stage of drug discovery and development. We are proud that the early discovery expertise for which Symeres is widely recognised is now complemented by enhanced formulation development capabilities, enabling our customers to progress seamlessly through an integrated development pathway.”

He added:

“This investment reinforces our position as a trusted partner across the full drug discovery through development lifecycle.”

The expansion reflects growing demand from biotech and pharmaceutical companies for integrated development partners that can support discovery, API development, formulation sciences and analytical activities through a coordinated scientific framework. It also aligns with broader industry trends toward increasingly complex molecular modalities, compressed development timelines and greater reliance on strategic outsourcing partnerships.

By expanding our spray drying capabilities, we continue to strengthen our ability to help customers overcome formulation challenges, accelerate development timelines and advance promising therapies toward the clinic.

For more details, view the press release.