CDMO

Chemical industry CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) news

Recent developments

Capacity and localization

Construction advanced at WuXi Biologics’ Chengdu microbial commercial manufacturing site, targeting GMP release in 2026. Evonik is adding downstream fermentation and processing capabilities in Slovakia, while its Open Pharma Lab in Yokohama with Higuchi adds formulation support. Multilateral financing backs Biovac’s Africa’s first end‑to‑end multi‑vaccine manufacturing facility, aiming 30–40 million doses annually.

Quality and approvals

WuXi Biologics secured MFDS GMP certification in South Korea for commercial bispecific production. Its Wuxi DP5 and DPPC obtained UK MHRA GMP certifications. AGC’s Seattle site earned GMP certification from Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency, and AGC supported Waskyra’s marketing authorization from the U.S. FDA and the European Commission.

Digital and efficiency

WuXi reported digital‑native operations contributing to higher margins and accelerated IND-to-BLA workflows. It launched the PatroLabTM digital twin platform for real‑time monitoring and predictive control. Toray introduced a high‑efficiency separation membrane module to mitigate purification bottlenecks and cut buffer use in bioprocessing.

Collaborations and supply

WuXi Biologics and Earendil Labs partnered on bispecifics and ADCs. Vertex licensed a trispecific T‑cell engager under a license and research service agreement. WuXi also aligned with HanchorBio on fusion proteins and advanced SND006 with Sinorda Biomedicine. Supply‑chain deals included Brenntag’s exclusive European distribution with Seqens for non‑GMP intermediates and KYORIN’s worldwide rights to UBE‑discovered candidates.

ESG and market signals

WuXi’s ESG standing was reaffirmed by Morningstar Sustainalytics and the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook. The firm expanded its footprint via a QFZ agreement in Qatar. Conversely, SEQENS’ subsidiary CELLforCURE seeks a buyer for its Les Ulis site amid CGT funding headwinds. Industry dialogue continued at Chemspec, with Saltigo showcasing custom‑manufacturing technology.

New construction vs expansion

Owners & Investors

Top 5 companies involved as owner and/or investor in current and planned CDMO projects:

Merck , Sandoz , Lonza , WACKER , Novo Nordisk , WeylChem , AGC , Arxada , PCI Pharma Services , and Biovac .

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