Omya International AG is headquartered in Oftringen, Switzerland. With more than 130 years of expertise, Omya's portfolio of natural minerals is produced to comply with the most stringent regulatory and quality standards of the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The company is also a worldwide distributor of speciality additives, premium services and solutions. Omya supplies added value products and services from responsibly sourced materials to meet the needs of current and future generations. With approximately 8,000 employees, Omya has a global presence extending to more than 180 locations in over 50 countries.
Multiple applications
In the consumer goods sector, the company offers innovative solutions based on high purity calcium carbonates. As a result of major investments in science and its commitment to R&D, Omya is able to develop patented products and applications with proven functionalities. As well as pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, these also include food, personal care and cosmetic products.
An innovative excipient: Functionalized Calcium Carbonate
Omyapharm® Functionalized Calcium Carbonate (FCC) is a newly developed pharmaceutical excipient that can be used in multiple applications. Omyapharm® is manufactured from high-purity calcium carbonate, which undergoes a surface recrystallization process. During dry granulation or tableting, Omyapharm's external lamellae provide a large number of interlocking contact points, resulting in greater mechanical strength at lower compression pressures — compared with other currently available excipients — while preserving porosity.
Omyapharm orally dispersible granules can be directly compressed into orally dispersible tablets (ODTs). These ODTs have a high drug loading capability and an extremely fast disintegration time of less than ten seconds. The preserved porosity enables fast water uptake and delivers an ODT disintegration time that is twice as fast as that of the market reference product. Owing to its outstanding properties, Omyapharm was selected from 20 shortlisted formulations as the winner of the 2015 CPhI Pharma Award for most innovative excipient.
Natural Calcium Carbonate as active pharmaceutical ingredient
In keeping with its tradition of quality and its focus on regulatory affairs, Omya became the first producer of natural calcium carbonate to achieve the certificate of suitability (CEP/CoS) in accordance with the European Pharmacopoeia as an active pharmaceutical ingredient by the European Directorate of the Quality of Medicines.
Calcium carbonate contains close to 40% calcium, making it an excellent source of this nutrient. Omyapure® Natural Calcium Carbonate (NCC) can be used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications such as antacids, as a natural source of calcium in osteoporosis treatment, in mineral supplements and in combination with vitamins. The particle size distribution of Omyapure NCC optimises the particle packing and allows for the production of denser and smaller tablets that meet industrial requirements. Moreover, Omya understands how bulk density impacts tablet manufacturing and has specifically developed Omyapure® direct compressible pharmaceutical grades with increased bulk density and enhanced flow properties.
Enhanced R&D services and technical support in the new lab
Omya's new pharmaceutical and nutraceutical laboratory at the company's headquarters comprises a lab for mineral development, a dry lab for granulation, tableting and performance analysis, as well as storage and office space. Cutting-edge equipment – including fluid-bed technology, a roller compactor and a rotary tablet press – allows for high-quality pharmaceutical research, development and technical customer support.
Securing intellectual property rights can be challenging. For Omya, it is paramount. With its own lab, the company can ensure the protection of these rights and can now react to market needs much faster. This ensures legal certainty for both itself and its customers, which is a prerequisite for Omya to be able to sell its products without restrictions.
For further information, please use the form below to send us your enquiry.