---
title: "Manufacture and testing of overencapsulated tablets and placebo capsules for research purposes - LAMDARCT clinical trial"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05f108"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05f108"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f108.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f108.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "BELFAST HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE TRUST"
published: "2026-01-21"
---

# Manufacture and testing of overencapsulated tablets and placebo capsules for research purposes - LAMDARCT clinical trial

Buyer: BELFAST HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE TRUST  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05f108

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05f108)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f108.json)

## Summary

The Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, a prominent public authority in the central government of Northern Ireland, has completed a direct award procurement process for the manufacture and testing of overencapsulated tablets and placebo capsules for a clinical trial focused on age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This contract, identified as DAC20211, was awarded to ALMAC CLINICAL SERVICES LIMITED. The procurement involves goods in the pharmaceutical products industry category, with a main region of delivery in the United Kingdom. The contract was signed on 19th January 2026 and runs until 5th January 2030, with a total value of approximately £494,447.50 excluding VAT. This project aims to explore a more cost-effective and accessible treatment for wet AMD, leveraging a placebo-controlled clinical trial approach.

This tender presents significant business growth opportunities, particularly for large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturers with expertise in developing and producing clinical trial medications. Companies with capabilities in producing overencapsulated tablets and compliance with MHRA standards will find this contract appealing. Moreover, the direct award nature of the procurement process can streamline participation for suppliers capable of delivering innovative and novel medical solutions efficiently. Businesses focused on research and development, especially those working on treatments concerning visual impairments or similar clinical trials, are particularly well-suited to engage in opportunities like this.

## Notice

This procurement is for the manufacture and testing of over encapsulated tablets and placebo capsules for research purposes - LAMDARCT clinical trial

### Procurement Information

Schedule 5, (2) The public contract concerns the production of a prototype, or supply of other novel goods or services, for the purpose of (c) other research, experiment, study or development. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual loss. There are two main forms of AMD: dry and wet. The current wet AMD treatment is intravitreal antiVEGF injections, repeated every 4-12 weeks. Due to the cost of the medication, the route and frequency of administration, this treatment is a significant burden on the NHS budget. An additional treatment option for wet AMD is L-dopa. L-dopa is a widely available drug (used in treatment of Parkinson's), typically in the form of Carbidopa-L-Dopa. It is taken as an oral tablet and is significantly cheaper than the antiVEGF injections. The study will be a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eligible patients will be randomised to receive either 100mg L-DOPA+25mg carbidopa or placebo twice a day, for 24 months, in addition to the current standard of care to determine if this is a more cost-effective and easier-to-administer treatment regime than the current standard of care. To 'blind' this clinical trial (to reduce bias) requires the development, manufacture and testing of over encapsulated 100mg L-DOPA+25mg carbidopa tablets and development and manufacture of matching placebo capsules. The expertise required to develop and manufacture these capsules in the quantity required for this trial requires outsourcing to a manufacturer licensed by the MHRA possessing the necessary technical expertise.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005092-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 8 Dec 2025 |
| Contract period | 19 Jan 2026 - 5 Jan 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £494,447 |
| Contracts value | £494,447 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | BELFAST HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE TRUST |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT12 6BA |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Falls |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast West |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | ALMAC CLINICAL SERVICES |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

### Codes

- 33600000 - Pharmaceutical products

## Release History

- 21 Jan 2026 at 09:15 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005092-2026
- 8 Dec 2025 at 15:58 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080744-2025
- 8 Dec 2025 at 15:49 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080735-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005092-2026
  21st January 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080744-2025
  8th December 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080735-2025
  8th December 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://ww.almacgroup.com
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05f108. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f108.json.