Japan’s Ube Chemical has decided to merge by absorption API Corporation (APIC), the CDMO operation it acquired from Mitsubishi Chemical in December 2022. This will take effect on 1 December 2024 and is expected to have only a minimal impact on Ube’s consolidated earnings.

The company said that it made this decision in order to “further promote the sharing of the proprietary high-level manufacturing and quality control technologies of both companies, accelerate the development of new technologies, expand supply chain networks and leverage the existing bases of both companies”.

Italian CDMO Olon has opened its new R&D centre at its industrial plant and headquarters in Rodano, near Milan. This will be mainly dedicated to the development of APIs for the innovator and generic markets. It cost €10 million and will create 50 new jobs, bringing the total to 350 out of the 2,300 total.

Swiss fine chemical manufacturer Valsynthese has entered into a manufacturing services agreement, under which it will host Grignard reagents production units based on the proprietary MgFlow Technology of Belgium’s Chemium and offer integrated services based on it. Chemium will commercialise ready-to-use Grignards through its Swiss subsidiary.

AGC’s subsidiary AGC Wakasa Chemicals has held a formal ceremony for the completion of a large-scale, multi-purpose production line at its Kaminaka plant in Japan. Scheduled to begin operations in Q1 204, the new line will add 50% to AGC Wasaka’s capacity for CDMO services for the agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals sector.

CDMO Hovione has acquired its Portuguese compatriot ExtremoChem, a chemical synthesis start-up focused on bio-inspired synthetic sugars. Terms were not disclosed.

ExtremoChem has developed a library of synthetic analogues of natural molecules found in extremophiles. These are said to have “shown potential in overcoming challenges associated with the stabilisation of biopharmaceuticals during production, purification, formulation and transportation”.

CDMO Cambrex has sold its Drug Product business unit to Noramco. Terms were not disclosed. The business comprises product development, clinical and commercial manufacturing and packaging from facilities in Mirabel, Québec, and Whippany, New Jersey.

CEO Thomas Loewald described this as “the result of a strategic decision to focus on core areas of growth and investment”. The company will henceforth prioritise its drug substance and analytical testing businesses, which are based across 13 sites worldwide, including the recently acquired Snapdragon Chemistry and Q1 Scientific.

Italian CDMO Olon Group has announced a €10 million, multi-year expansion plan for its production site in Mahad, India. This will increase its chemical synthesis capacity for intermediates and APIs by 45%, particularly for products in high demand where Olon is already the market leader.