Lonza Strengthens Micronization Portfolio with the Introduction of X-Ray Powder Diffraction

Lonza announced on August 22, 2022 that it has expanded the range of particle engineering services offered by its Monteggio, Switzerland site through the introduction of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). This analytical technique is designed to provide additional information about the polymorph and solid-state properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

The XRPD instrument began operations in Q2 2022. The new capability expands Lonza’s micronization portfolio and will allow the company to control the particle size of APIs and enhance their processing, bioavailability, and dissolution rates. According to a company press release, the Monteggio team will be investigating the solid state of crystalline materials and generate critical data across drug discovery, development, and manufacturing.

“The implementation of XRPD provides additional analytical information, highlighting differences in the solid state of materials before and after micronization, and determining whether additional processing is needed,” said Salvatore Mercuri, associate director new product introduction and MSAT, Lonza Monteggio, in the press release. “The XRPD improves our ability to detect solid state changes induced by the micronization process early in development and allows the problem to be properly addressed before the process is defined. This will ensure that our processes continue to obtain stable products suitable for further processing and formulation.”