Onyx Scientific has announced the expansion of its solid form and material science screening capabilities in 2026, following the celebration of its 25th anniversary at the end of 2025.

This strategic investment supports the company’s mission to deliver flexible, phase-appropriate development solutions with a focus on complex molecules, particularly those falling into Developability Classification System (DCS) class II and IV categories. The enhanced service offering addresses rising demand for integrated crystallization development, particle engineering and preformulation support from early-phase through to commercial supply.

The expanded toolkit includes the Technobis Crystalline PV/RR Line, a high-precision platform combining temperature and turbidity measurements with in-line particle imaging. Its real-time visualisation capability (down to 0.63 microns per pixel) enables deeper insight into nucleation, crystallization behavior and slurry conversions.

“This investment is about moving faster and smarter,” said Chris Atherton, Commercial Director at Onyx Scientific. “With added capacity for real-time particle insight, we can now guide clients with more confidence through early-phase material selection and optimization.”

The new platform builds on existing assets such as Crystal16 parallel screening, Radleys Mya Station and Blaze probe technology. It is expected to enhance both preformulation screening and later-stage design space refinement - and will support preparation of small- and large-scale demonstration batches used in internal evaluations and with external partners.

In addition to the crystal line, the acquisition of 3 new platforms covering spray-drying, lyophilization and Jet milling enhances the company’s existing ability to tailor solid presentations for performance testing and accelerated development:

• Buchi S300 mini spray dryer with inert loop and ultrasonic nozzle, enabling preparation of amorphous solid dispersions and agglomeration studies.
  
  

• Buchi Lyovapor L-250 Pro with manifold and shelf configurations, supporting lyophilization from aqueous and organic systems.
  
  

• MC DecJet 30 jet mill, offering scalable micronization from milligrams to hundreds of grams for applications such as inhalation and bioavailability enhancement.

“These tools allow us to deliver batches tailored for performance testing, both in-house and with our partner CROs and CMOs. Our clients often require small-scale, high-quality engineering batches to support PK, tox and FIH programs, and that’s exactly what this equipment enables,” said Julian Northen, Technical Director at Onyx Scientific. 

Together with its particle imaging and measurement tools, Onyx can now prepare amorphous materials in various formats, optimize particle size, assess dissolution behavior, and monitor amorphous content across multiple presentations. These capabilities enable early-phase formulation teams to refine candidates more rapidly and with greater control over solid-state performance parameters.

The company is also preparing for further upgrades in early 2026, with investment planned for its XRPD suite, including non-ambient measurement capabilities. The expansion supports internal upskilling, productivity improvements and a long-term strategy for enhancing its solid-state offering.

“This is a continuation of our belief that robust material science underpins successful development,” said Northen. 

“We’re strengthening our workbench, not just with tools, but with the expertise and insight to use them where they count.”