Press Room

News / May 09, 2024

Hovione and iBET announce the creation of ViSync Technologies, an innovative new company that will develop solutions for unmet needs in cell and gene therapy

News release, 09 May 2024

The new company, which will be located in Portugal, will focus on the development of drug delivery solutions for emerging drug modalities.
Cell and gene therapies represent a paradigm shift in modern medicine, offering unprecedented opportunities to address previously untreatable diseases.
ViSync solutions will help address some of the manufacturing challenges caused by the complex nature of new modalities, with special focus on stabilization, cell or tissue targeting and drug payload delivery.

Lisbon, 9th May 2024 – The specialist integrated CDMO and leader in pharmaceutical spray drying and particle engineering, and iBET (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica), a private not-for-profit research intensive SME in the area of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, today announced the creation of ViSync Technologies, a new joint venture located in Oeiras, close to Lisbon. The newly formed company will focus on developing innovative technologies and scalable solutions to help pharmaceutical companies address formulation and manufacturing challenges in transformative cell and gene therapies.

Hovione has a strong track record in industrializing new technologies and supporting Pharma Companies with their clinical and commercial volume manufacturing needs, while iBET has a strong biological background and a global reputation for its scientific knowledge of the new therapeutic modalities space, particularly cell and gene therapy.

New modalities, such as gene and cell therapies, RNA drugs and other complex biologics, are a rapidly growing segment of the pharmaceutical industry. They promise to bring breakthroughs to the treatment of a wide range of diseases and conditions, including cancer, genetic disorders, rare diseases and neurological conditions.

While this rapid growth has been driven by remarkable efficacy in addressing unmet clinical needs, the complex nature of the new modalities brings challenges, including limited drug administration options, immunogenic responses and off-target effects, issues with high dose delivery and high costs. The poor stability of these drugs is also an issue, resulting in the need for cold supply chains. ViSync will aim to develop novel technology platforms to address the unmet needs of pharmaceutical customers developing these transformative new products.

“The creation of ViSync in collaboration with iBET marks an exciting new chapter in Hovione´s commitment to innovation”, said Dr Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Hovione´s CEO. “New therapeutic modalities have the potential to bring radical improvements to current standards of care and we are thrilled to partner with iBET, a world-renowned expert organization in this area, to develop technology platforms that help customers bring transformative therapies to patients worldwide. The first step will be to assemble a team who possesses the knowledge, expertise, and ingenuity needed to navigate the complexities ahead."

“The establishment of ViSync in partnership with Hovione represents a pivotal moment in iBET’s dedication to pioneering research in advanced therapies,” stated Dr. Paula Alves, iBET’s CEO. “The immense promise of these new modalities is at our reach and we are delighted to join forces with Hovione, a globally recognized leader in technological industrialization and drug delivery. In this common endeavor, we will gather the scientific and technical competences and skills to support our clients and partners in delivering groundbreaking therapies to patients globally.”

ViSync will develop its own lab facility in Lisbon and expects to be able to start its research and development work by the end of 2024.

About Hovione

Hovione is an international company with over 60 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing operations. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) it has a fully integrated offering of services for drug substances, drug product intermediates and drug products. The company has four FDA inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland and China and development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal and New Jersey, USA. Hovione provides pharmaceutical customers services for the development and compliant manufacture of innovative drugs, including highly potent compounds, and customized product solutions across the entire drug life cycle. In the inhalation area, Hovione offers a complete range of services, from API, formulation development and manufacturing, capsule filling and devices.

Hovione's culture is based on innovation, quality and dependability. Hovione is a member of Rx-360, EFCG and participates actively in industry quality improvement initiatives to lead new global industry standards.

About iBET

iBET is a private non-profit institution devoted to biotechnology research, with 35 years of experience creating and transferring knowledge to the global biopharma and biotech sectors. iBET’s core expertise lies on the development of bioprocessses and analytical tools for Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs), including cell and gene therapies, vaccines, antibodies and other innovative therapeutic products. Leveraged by the emerging areas of Data Science and Translational Immunology, we offer bespoke R&D services from early-stage R&D to GMP manufacturing.

iBET’s infrastructure comprises cutting-edge laboratories, a GMP certified Analytical Services Unit, and a Late-Stage R&D and Bioproduction Unit, covering upstream and downstream process development, bioanalytical tools for critical quality attribute monitoring, to scale-up and tech transfer. iBET also hosts satellite laboratories of major pharmaceutical companies and serves as an incubation platform for start-up/spin-off companies.

iBET is driven by its innovative and agile culture of continuous improvement and a strong sense of ambition, ownership and commitment in developing and delivering the best solutions to our stakeholders.

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Three is the magic number for Hovione as it’s once again been certified as a top employer. For the third consecutive year, all four of its manufacturing sites - Lisbon, Cork, East Windsor in USA, and Macau - have been certified as Top Employers by the Top Employers Institute. Hovione is an international integrated pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation. This certification follows, Hovione said, a rigorous audit process. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Chief Executive Officer, Hovione, explained: “This recognition reflects the exceptional dedication and collaboration of the entire Hovione team. Hovione is a development and manufacturing service company operating in one of the most demanding and regulated industries. We understand that our success is deeply rooted in our people. “Together, as One Hovione, we are committed to continuously refining our practices to foster a workplace that inspires motivation and enhances employee satisfaction, so that, every day, our team members bring their best selves to work, driving innovation and excellence at every step,” Jean-Luc added. Ilda Ventura, Senior Vice-President of Human Resources and Member of the Management Board, Hovione, said: “This distinction underscores our unwavering commitment to our people. At Hovione, we design our HR systems and processes to ensure that every team member enjoys a consistent and fulfilling experience, regardless of their role, function, or location.” Imelda Cummins, HR Director for Hovione Ireland, said: “This distinguished accreditation is a testament to our commitment to establish frameworks to attract, engage and retain top talent. We believe that our people are our greatest asset, and this recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team who strive every day to foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration. Receiving the Top Employer accreditation is motivation for us to keep pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an exceptional employer.” Hovione recently celebrated the opening of a multi-million euro expansion at its site in Ringaskiddy, which almost doubled the capacity of its spray drying facilities. Read the full article on CorkIndependent.com

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Hovione gets top employer accolade

Jan 22, 2025

Hovione has once again solidified its position as a top employer in all four of its manufacturing sites - Lisbon (Portugal), Cork (Ireland), East Windsor (NJ, USA), and Macau. The program highlights the company’s significant advancements in several critical areas, including Purpose & Values, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Employer Branding, and Recognition & Rewards, driven by sustained investment in people. This certification from the Top Employers Institute follows a rigorous audit process and underscores Hovione’s consistency in investing in people and world-class workplace practices, as well as the unwavering commitment of its more than 2,300 employees to the company's core purpose and values. “This recognition reflects the exceptional dedication and collaboration of the entire Hovione team,” said Jean-Luc Herbeaux, Chief Executive Officer. “Hovione is a development and manufacturing service company operating in one of the most demanding and regulated industries. We understand that our success is deeply rooted in our people. Together, as One Hovione, we are committed to continuously refining our people practices to foster a workplace that inspires motivation and enhances employee satisfaction, so that, every day, our team members bring their best selves to work, driving innovation and excellence at every step.” Macau, which became the first company in the region to achieve Top Employer certification last year, has successfully renewed the status, solidifying Hovione’s global leadership in workplace excellence. With its consistent Top Employer recognition, Hovione demonstrates that the talent strategy is perfectly aligned with the business strategy. Watch Ilda Ventura, Senior Vice-President of Human Resources and Member of the Management Board of Hovione, video about what this certification means for Hovione. For additional information, please read the press release.

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The certification is granted to Hovione's four manufacturing sites for the third consecutive year.