Halo Pharma, a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), on Tuesday announced a significant expansion of its manufacturing capabilities at its Whippany facility with the addition of a Gerteis Macro-Pactor® roller compactor.
This strategic investment will significantly enhance the company’s ability to manage complex formulations, improve process efficiency, and ensure consistent quality in the production of solid-dose pharmaceutical products. The Macro-Pactor® is expected to be fully operational in the first quarter of 2026.
The new technology addresses a crucial phase in drug development: the transition from early-phase development to late-stage commercial production.
The Macro-Pactor® specializes in dry granulation, a process essential for many pharmaceutical formulations. Its introduction reinforces a seamless scale-up process, as it is directly compatible with the Gerties Mini-Pactor® currently used by Halo Pharma for small-scale and clinical manufacturing.
“One of the major advantages of adding the Macro-Pactor is that the process parameters established during early-phase development translates almost directly into larger batch sizes,” Satish Shetty, senior director, Product Development & Technical Services at Halo Pharma said. “Since the equipment is engineered for both development and commercial throughput, it eliminates the typical disconnect between small-scale R&D and large-scale manufacturing, reducing scale-up risk, timelines, and the need for reformulation.”
The Macro-Pactor’s high throughput, superior performance, and reduced variability will greatly expand Halo Pharma’s dry-granulation capabilities. This is particularly beneficial for manufacturing complex products, including:
- Moisture-sensitive Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)
- High-drug-load formulations
- Poor-flowing powders
- Potent compounds and controlled substances
Furthermore, the system’s closed, dust-contained design ensures secure, regulatory-compliant handling, reducing operator exposure and minimizing product loss, which is essential when dealing with potent or controlled substances.
“Investing in the Macro-Pactor reinforces Halo Pharma’s commitment to delivering high-quality, scalable manufacturing solutions for our clients,” Lee Karras, group chief executive for the Noramco Group, Halo Pharma’s parent company said. “It ensures that they can confidently advance their programs with predictable outcomes and faster timelines.”
The investment strengthens Halo Pharma’s position as a reliable partner for tech-transfer, supporting Quality by Design (QbD) efforts through precise, data-rich control of critical process parameters.
