Sterling Pharma Solutions, a UK-headquartered contract development and manufacturing organization, is investing £6 million ($8 million) to expand its pilot plant at its UK site to increase capacity by 33% and enhance the site’s production capabilities for small- to mid-scale batch production.

The investment will add three new reactor trains at scales of 225L, 500L and 1,360L to meet demand for batch sizes in the 10-100kg range as well as add a range of new capabilities to expand the company’s ability to handle potent compounds across a range of equipment scales.

The expansion follows an investment in 2017 into the site’s milling, micronization, and solid-form facility. Both investments form part of a strategic development plan totaling £12 million ($16 million). The facilities, based on a 40-acre site in northeast England, are expected to be operational by mid-2018.