DFE Pharma has launched a new continuous manufacturing platform in collaboration with Gericke, positioning the initiative as a way to support pharmaceutical companies with formulation development and process optimisation in continuous manufacturing.

The announcement is largely a strategic platform expansion rather than a specific customer project, underlining its focus on infrastructure, excipient positioning and technical services. The move centres on combining CM-ready excipients, specialist equipment and in-house formulation expertise to help companies evaluate and implement continuous manufacturing (CM) processes.

As part of the platform, DFE Pharma has invested in continuous manufacturing capabilities at its C2F Center of Excellence in Hyderabad, India. The site features a Gericke Formulation Skid (GFS) installed in a non-GMP environment, allowing pharmaceutical companies to test and refine formulations without affecting existing GMP production lines.

According to the company, the modular setup integrates feeding and blending options with pre-blending, downstream processing and analytical tools. This configuration is designed to support rapid iteration and generate data to inform development decisions before scale-up or regulatory submission.

Sven Abend, chief executive officer at DFE Pharma, said: “Continuous Manufacturing is reshaping how medicines are developed and produced, but success depends on making the right choices at every stage. With our Continuous Manufacturing platform, we are bringing together our CM-ready excipients, a flexible testing environment, and applied scientific expertise. We are sure this platform will enable our customers to make informed, data-driven CM decisions from early exploration through optimization and long-term operation with confidence.”

DFE Pharma’s contribution to the platform includes a portfolio of excipients characterised for use in continuous processing. The company said these materials are designed to support stable feeding and blending performance, manage material variability and align with regulatory expectations throughout development and commercialisation.

Gericke, which specialises in high precision feeding, blending and powder processing equipment, is providing the engineering backbone for the initiative. Its formulation skid is intended to replicate continuous feeding and blending operations at development scale, enabling users to assess material–equipment interactions and process parameters.

Markus Gericke, chief executive officer at Gericke Group, said: “This platform brings together our applied expertise in formulation development, powder handling, and continuous processing science. At Gericke, we contribute decades of engineering and process knowledge, helping customers interpret CM data, understand material–equipment interactions, optimize key parameters, and align their strategies with guidelines such as ICH Q13. Together, we provide clear, science-based direction that supports a smooth transition to robust Continuous Manufacturing.”

Continuous manufacturing involves feeding raw materials into a process in a constant flow, transforming them through controlled unit operations and discharging finished product simultaneously. Compared with traditional batch manufacturing, CM can improve process control, enable more consistent product quality and reduce equipment footprint.

Despite demonstrated benefits and regulatory support, adoption remains uneven across the industry. Implementation can require significant capital investment, process redesign and additional expertise in areas such as variability science and real-time analytics. Regulatory guidance, including ICH Q13, has provided a framework for companies seeking to implement continuous approaches, but operational and organisational barriers persist.

With this platform, DFE Pharma is positioning itself not only as an excipient supplier but as a technical partner in CM development. Whether it translates into broader uptake will depend on how effectively companies use the facility to de-risk investment and accelerate internal decision-making.