The Spokane-based company is splashing out $30m (€24.7m) in hiring more staff and upping capacity as its services become more popular - last month it stroke a deal with Roxro Pharma to fill vials of ROX-888, Roxro's pain-management drug set to be filed for approval with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

HollisterStier will be adding a second high speed filling line that can handle 2ml to100ml vials and fill approximately 400 vials per minute, while also adding an office complex.

The clean room complex also includes aseptic compounding areas, a new component preparation area, and an aseptic storage area.

HollisterStier also plans to increase its personnel of 384 by approximately 40 per cent over the next three years.

"Big pharma companies are increasingly looking to outsource and we have positioned ourselves to benefit from this trend," company spokeswoman Janelle Jovick told In-PharmaTechnologist.com.

"Our customers are in a niche market with unique needs and this expansion will allows us to serve them better."

In addition, the US company is doubling its laboratory space for its quality sssurance and quality control departments.

The project increases the Spokane facility to a total of 185,000 square feet with construction on the laboratories and office building set to start in the fall of 2006 and completion expected in May of 2007.

The construction for the filling line begins in Q4 of 2006, with commercial production commencing in Q4 of 2008.

In addition to its contract-manufacturing work, HollisterStier makes allergy products.