UPPER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa.- A subsidiary of B. Braun is closing a pair of facilities in Lehigh County, impacting more than 170 employees.
Central Admixture Pharmacy Services (CAPS) is shuttering its 503B compounding operations located at 6580 Snowdrift Road, as well as an annex less than a half mile away at 6845 Snowdrift Road.
Both facilities are in Upper Macungie Township.
173 workers will be affected, according to a notice filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor in accordance with the WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, a 503B compounding pharmacy makes large batches of sterile drugs to be sold to healthcare facilities. They’re different from 503A pharmacies, which compound drugs according to prescriptions specific to particular patients.
CAPS recently made the decision to exit the 503B sterile compounding business as part of a “strategic refocus on its core operations and long-term sustainability,” B. Braun spokesperson Alli Longenhagen told 69 News via email.
“Employees at our CAPS Lehigh Valley site will continue to compound solutions through August, with many staying employed with the company through the end of 2026,” Longenhagen wrote. “Some impacted employees are being redeployed into other roles and others are encouraged to apply for open positions within the organization.”
The medical technology company B. Braun acquired CAPS in 1997 as part of its purchase of McGaw Inc. CAPS is part of the B. Braun Group of Companies in the U.S.
“CAPS 503A compounding business remains a critical part of the B. Braun portfolio, delivering high-quality, reliable, patient-specific solutions to hospital and outpatient providers through 21 locations across the United States,” said Longenhagen.
B. Braun is based in Germany with its U.S. headquarters in Bethlehem.
According to CAPS’ website, the Upper Macungie facility, as well as another in Phoenix, Arizona, are the only two 503B sites in its portfolio.