India’s Navin Fluorine International has officially launched its CDMO division under the name Navin Molecular. The company has been providing chemistry services since 2010 and is launching the band “to showcase the broad platform that Navin Molecular can offer” in terms of geographical diversity and expertise in a range of complex chemistries.
Lonza has extended two ongoing collaborations with unnamed major biopharmaceutical companies. One covers the commercial-scale filling of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the other bioconjugation. Financial details were not disclosed in either case.
As part of the former partnership, Lonza will build a dedicated line at its site in Stein, Switzerland, for the aseptic filling of highly potent ADCs and lyophilisation under containment. The new line is expected to be operational in 2027 and to create about 115 new jobs at peak capacity.
CDMO Sterling Pharma Solutions has acquired UK-based NewChem Technologies, which offers contract services focused on complex organic process chemistry to the pharmaceuticals, chemicals, diagnostics, biotechnology and veterinary markets. Terms were not disclosed, but the deal includes all of NewChem’s assets and employees.
Cambrex has completed a $38 million expansion at its small molecule API facility in High Point, North Carolina. This doubles capacity, with new analytical and chemical development laboratories, two new clinical manufacturing suites and a small-scale commercial manufacturing operation with three work centres and 2,000 litre reactors. Work originally began in 2021. This has created about 70 jobs.
Subject to regulatory approval, Glenmark Pharma has agreed to sell a 75% stake in its Glenmark Life Sciences (GLS) business unit to its India compatriot, Nirma. Nirma is a conglomerate which mainly makes detergents and cement but which also acquired sterile contact lens solutions maker Stericon Pharma in April. GLS is mainly active in the manufacture of APIs.
“Synergies between Glenmark Pharma and GLS the business have been rapidly disappearing and companies have had divergent pathways,” said chairman Glenn Saldanha.
Ami Organics, an Indian maker of pharmaceutical intermediates, API and speciality chemicals, has signed a multi-year, multi-tonne agreement with Orion subsidiary Fermion. Under this, it will supply another intermediate in addition to the one agreed in November 2022.
Financial details were not disclosed but Ami said that, based on supply projections by Fermion, “the total minimum contract value is expected to be multi-million dollar” across multiple years. The product is expected to start contributing "meaningfully" to revenue from the 2025 financial year.
Evonik has completed the relocation and expansion of its precious metal powder catalyst plant in Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park. Production is scheduled to commence in Q4. No financial details were disclosed.
This completes the upgrade of the company’s global network of five precious metal catalyst plants. Evonik sells the catalysts under the Noblyst P brand name mainly for applications in APIs and agrochemical AIs. China is one of the fastest-growing markets for them.
