LaboSmeets announces double-digit growth for 2014/15

news-releasesLaboratoria Smeets S.A
June 14th 2015

Antwerp, Belgium: – Dynamic contract manufacturing organization (CMO) Laboratoria Smeets (Labosmeets) has announced sales up more than 20 per cent year-on-year in its latest financial results for the year ended 31 March 2015.

The laboratory attributes sales growth to its ‘focus on powders’ strategy, expressed in three recent advances.

Sachet trend

Labosmeets has developed considerable expertise in sachet format, which is the preferred Galenic forms for bulky drugs or food supplements, where administering powders in dissolved drink form is more comfortable for the patient.

The laboratory has invested considerable research in solubility of its powders and in sachet materials and construction.

Recently Labosmeets was awarded a BIO certificate which enables it to blend and package bio sachet products.

“This is a great move forward, enabling us to reflect the industry trend towards powerful and healthy plant powders, which can be used in shakes or other food preparations,” commented Laboratoria Smeets Managing Director, Jef Verplaetse.

“We also see a growing trend to add more dietary fibers to our diets and booming volume of such fibers offered in sachets,” added Mr. Verplaetse.

API advances

A second arm of Labosmeets strategy has focused research on enhanced solubility and bioavailability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The laboratory partnered with Ghent University to develop a patented extrusion technique to produce water-soluble granules containing poorly water soluble drugs classed II or IV under the Bio Classification System (BCS).

“The main advantage of our technology is that we can make straight soft granules in a low temperature process, which can be used as such or can be used to make tablets. Low temperatures are key in protecting the API,” Mr. Verplaetse explained.

The new process has enabled Labosmeets to develop an innovative broad-spectrum antibiotic for veterinary usage that will be launched to European markets this July.

Technological advance has gone hand in hand with Labosmeets’ enhanced expertise in plant design, demonstrated in the recent provision of a design-build plant for manufacturing a veterinary drug in powder form with an API which is made water soluble in the process. The product is being made exclusively for a leading pharma company .

Successful supplements

Labosmeets has also reaped dividends from its policy of put a lot of effort in developing food supplements that incorporate relevant innovations for health care in general. Breakthrough developments have included restoration of bacterial flora of patients with diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to Crohn’s disease.

“We have also developed a supplement to treat osteoarthritis, using an entirely new working mechanism that respects essential nature and the biochemical pathways,” said Jef Verplaetse.

“We have even developed a fun product that combats hangover in an innovative and effective way,” he added.

“A further success story is our involvement in the talcum business, with exciting growth in our talcum dispenser business.

Labosmeets growing veterinary business is reflected in its addition of a new production plant that is already producing at 50 per cent capacity, with further growth foreseen for the current year.

“Our veterinary business is feeling the benefit of expanding exports to Africa, where quality medicines are increasingly valued,” said Mr. Verplaetse.

About Laboratoria Smeets

Laboratoria Smeets (LaboSmeets) is based near Antwerp, Belgium. Since its foundation in 1973, this CMO has focused on the blending, manufacture and packaging of pharmaceutical powders. The company is able to process powder-to-powder, liquid into powder and powder into liquid.

All processes are performed under cGMP conditions in a dedicated facility producing several hundreds of millions of powder filled sachets, tamper proof containers and sacs up to 25 kg, using state-of-the-art blending facilities and a modern filling operation with nine production lines.

Laboratoria Smeets uses a patented twin-screw extrusion technology for granulation in conjunction with a new technology to improve water solubility for APIs, developed in collaboration with University of Ghent. First applications are in the veterinary field where drug administration via drinking water is becoming more important.

Laboratoria Smeets has developed and patented high bioavailability products for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis treatment. Other products include laxatives, supplements for support for cancer therapy, menopause and the Libidosine® supplement for loss of libido.