Patheon has signed a strategic agreement with Grünenthal, an independent, family-owned, international research-based pharmaceutical group headquartered in Aachen, Germany, to serve as its preferred development partner for its products made using Grünenthal’s innovative abuse deterrent formulation technology INTAC.

Patheon was selected to assist with the development of advanced INTAC- based products, including single-entity and fixed-dose combination solid oral dosage forms with immediate and modified release properties.

INTAC is Grünenthal’s proprietary technology designed to reduce the potential for abuse of controlled substances.

Under the agreement, Grünenthal has agreed to install specialized equipment in Patheon’s Cincinnati manufacturing site. Through their partnership, Grünenthal and Patheon will offer new solutions to the broader pharmaceutical industry.

This concept of locating equipment in a Patheon facility, ‘condo model’, allows clients to benefit from Patheon’s process, people and infrastructure to simplify manufacturing.

Patheon global sales and marketing executive vice president Mike Lehmann said: "This agreement is a tangible example of the deeper, collaborative relationships we are pursuing and winning with clients.

"Over the past several years we have built a business to meet the needs of a breadth of clients, from emerging pharma companies to large multinationals."

This collaboration brings together Grünenthal’s innovative approach to research and development and the specialised technical manufacturing capabilities of Patheon to bring novel therapies to the marketplace for patients who need them.

Grünenthal chief scientific officer Dr Klaus-Dieter Langner said: "It is recognized in the healthcare industry that prescription drug abuse is an issue of growing concern in the United States.

"Typically it is opioids, CNS depressants and stimulants that are the three most established drug classes that are abused.

"Novel formulation technologies will help reduce that abuse potential."