A particle-size engineering technology company, with operations in Kent, has been acquired by a global drug development business.

Micron Technologies, which has its UK base in Dartford, has been bought by Somerset-based Catalent for an undisclosed amount.

The move will allow the business to get involved in earlier stages of drug development with partner pharmaceutical companies.

Micron Technologies employs about 100 people at its Kent base and at its other facility in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

The company, which has 25 years’ experience, has more than 300 customers around the world.

Its addition means Catalent will be able to support its customers all the way through clinical and commercial manufacturing of finished oral and inhaled dose forms around the world.

Catalent president and chief executive John Chiminski said: “This strategic acquisition allows Catalent to provide an unprecedented set of integrated development solutions and superior drug delivery technologies to the industry, partnering with our customers’ R&D teams earlier in the development cycle and helping them deliver better treatments to clinic and to market faster and more efficiently.

“We are pleased to add Micron Technologies’ leading technologies and manufacturing expertise and welcome their highly talented management, scientific and operations teams to Catalent.”

Micron Technologies chief executive Joseph Drost said: “We are excited to become part of Catalent, as there is a natural synergy between our organizations, with the global leader in advanced delivery technologies and development solutions now joining forces with a leading provider of particle size engineering technologies and integrated analytical services.

“Through access to Catalent’s global network, development expertise and innovative technologies, we can jointly provide end-to-end solutions to accelerate drug development programs and bring better treatments to patients worldwide.”