Ashland combines Advantia and Aquarius coating systems into new integrated product line

(NYSE: ASH), has announced an expanded tablet film coatings portfolio as part of its pharmaceutical excipients business. The new product line integrates the Advantia™ coating systems line formerly marketed by International Specialty Products Inc., which Ashland recently acquired, with Ashland's Aquarius coating systems line. The result is one of the broadest product lines in the industry today.

“Combining these two great product lines under the Aquarius brand, while applying our polymer know-how to the formulation of ready-to-use film coatings, has led to an extensive tablet coating systems portfolio,” said Timothy Bee, business director, Pharmaceutical and Nutrition Specialties, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “Aquarius coating systems will include aesthetic and functional coating solutions for the global pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. Our offering includes the full spectrum of colors in addition to barrier systems against moisture, odors and tastes, as well as sustained- and delayed-release coatings.”

Ashland has full technical service capabilities to support the expanded Aquarius coating systems line with labs in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, India and China.

“Our technical experts at these state-of-the-art facilities work on customized coating systems, color matching and trouble shooting, and can also provide tablet formulation development or on-site trial support,” explained Tom Durig Ph. D., R. Ph., director, Pharmaceutical and Nutrition Specialties R&D, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “We're committed to aggressively growing our global technical presence and continuing to invest in our technical organization and capabilities to better serve the global tablet coatings market.”

All tablet coating systems will be manufactured at Ashland's cGMP plant in Wilmington, Del. Ashland Specialty Ingredients provides an unparalleled range of functional excipients for solid, semi-solid and liquid dosage forms. Delivering pharmaceutical and nutraceutical performance since the 1950s, it provides solutions for applications in controlled release, solubilization, binders, film coatings and disintegrants. Ashland Specialty Ingredients creates value for its customers through applications knowledge, market insight, regulatory support and a powerful product portfolio, including Aquarius coating systems; Aqualon™ ethylcellulose (EC); Aqualon and Blanose™ sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC); Benecel™ methylcellulose and hypromellose; Klucel™ hydroxypropylcellulose; Natrosol™ hydroxyethylcellulose; Plasdone™ povidone; Plasdone™ copovidone and Polyplasdone™ crospovidone.