Sever Pharma Solutions is a CDMO with expertise in high-potency and cytotoxic drugs and polymer-based dosage forms. And with a master’s degree in biomedical engineering and over a decade of experience in both the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, Chase Lessard brings a rare blend of scientific expertise and operational leadership. Since joining the company seven years ago, Chase has helped lead the technical development of over 100 drug delivery products, specializing in polymer-based dosage forms, including implants, oral solid dosage, and films.
Today, Chase serves as the Engineering and Technical Operations Manager at Sever’s U.S. site, overseeing the full lifecycle of complex drug delivery projects—from early-stage formulation and process development to scale-up, tech transfer, and commercial manufacturing. ”Our goal is to be an end-to-end provider,” he explains. “From proof of concept through clinical development and into market launch, we support the analytical, regulatory, and everything in between.”
One area where Chase has developed deep expertise is intratumoral implants. ”These implants allow us to deliver the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) directly into a tumor, dramatically increasing efficacy and reducing systemic side effects,” he says. “Where traditional therapy may get only 3-5% of the drug to the tumor, intratumoral implants can deliver nearly 100% to the site.”
Sever supports a wide range of implant sizes, from large subcutaneous implants several millimeters in diameter, to ultra-small ocular and intratumoral implants as tiny as 100’s of microns in diameter. “We can work at any scale, milligram for early proof of concept, gram and kilogram for development and production,” Chase explains. “That’s essential when working with new chemical entities that are either scarce or highly expensive.”
The team runs 10 to 15 active projects, including 4 to 5 implant programs. Focus areas include subcutaneous, intratumoral, and ocular implants and oral solid-dose products developed through hot-melt extrusion.
Another area that sets Sever apart is their ability to work with high-potency and cytotoxic drugs. ”We can handle extremely potent APIs down to an occupational exposure limit of 10 nanograms per cubic meter—that’s OEB 6,” says Chase. “Not every CDMO can support these types of drugs, and even fewer can combine that with polymer-based drug delivery. That’s what makes us unique.”
While the company has yet to develop biologics-based implants, Chase remains optimistic. “Biologics in an implant is sort of the holy grail,” he says. “Work is being done on both materials and process development. Nobody’s cracked it yet, but it’ll be a huge moment for the industry when someone does. And yes, we’re keeping our eyes on that space.”As the pharmaceutical world continues to evolve, Chase and the team at Sever Pharma Solutions are ready to support the next generation of drug delivery solutions. “More and more, the industry is realizing what can be done, and we’re here to help make it happen.”
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