Catalent Secures Manufacturing Contract for Pfizer’s OTC Heartburn Treatment

Catalent Pharma Solutions has entered into an exclusive long-term supply agreement to produce Pfizer’s over-the-counter (OTC) proton-pump inhibitor for heartburn treatment, Nexium 24HR (esomeprazole), which is also marketed as Nexium Control outside the United States. Production will be carried out at the CDMO’s Winchester, Kentucky facility. The drug will be formulated and manufactured into enteric-coated, delayed-release pellets using fluid-bed technology. Catalent will also encapsulate these pellets into two-piece, hard-shell capsules using its capsule banding technology for OTC products.  

Pfizer secured exclusive global rights to market Nexium for OTC indications from AstraZeneca in 2012. AstraZeneca continues to manufacture and sell the prescription product.

Source: Catalent