Discover the biggest CDMO/CMO expansions and M&A of 2024, from biomanufacturing to APIs and sterile manufacturing. Explore key investments shaping the industry.
As 2024 nears its end, the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and contract manufacturing organization (CMO) sectors have witnessed significant expansions and mergers. This year marked substantial investments in biomanufacturing, sterile manufacturing, high-potency drug production, and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Below are some of the most noteworthy moves in the industry.
Novo Holdings’ $16.5 Billion Acquisition of Catalent
The biggest deal in the CDMO/CMO space, and the bio/pharma industry at large, was Novo Holdings’ acquisition of Catalent for $16.5 billion. Announced in February 2024, this acquisition enhances Novo Nordisk’s manufacturing capacity for its blockbuster glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. The deal includes three fill–finish sites in Anagni, Italy; Bloomington, Indiana; and Brussels, Belgium. Novo Holdings plans to sell these sites to Novo Nordisk for $11 billion. With regulatory approvals progressing, the acquisition is set to close by the end of 2024.
Billion-Dollar Biomanufacturing Expansions
Samsung Biologics
Samsung Biologics is executing a $6-billion expansion plan to establish a second biomanufacturing campus in South Korea. The first phase includes Plant 5, adding 180,000 liters of capacity by April 2025. The long-term expansion will see four new plants and an open innovation center, bringing the company’s total capacity to 784,000 liters.
Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies
Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies has invested an additional $1.2 billion in its North Carolina biomanufacturing site, bringing total investment to over $3.2 billion. Additionally, a $1.6-billion expansion in Denmark will increase large-scale cell-culture capacity, with new drug-substance facilities coming online in 2024 and 2026.
Lonza’s $1.2-Billion Acquisition
Lonza acquired Roche’s Genentech biologics facility in Vacaville, California, for $1.2 billion. Lonza also committed CHF 500 million ($554 million) to upgrade the site, strengthening its biologics production capabilities.
Lotte Biologics’ $3-Billion Expansion
Lotte Biologics announced a $3-billion investment for three new biomanufacturing plants in South Korea. Construction of the first plant began in 2024, aiming to position Lotte as a major player in biologics contract manufacturing.
Peptide Manufacturing Growth: CordenPharma’s $981 Million Expansion
CordenPharma is investing $981 million over the next three years to expand peptide production at its sites in Colorado and Europe. This move supports growing demand for GLP-1 peptides, with multiple long-term manufacturing contracts totaling $3.3 billion. The expansion includes a new greenfield site in Europe for small- to large-scale peptide development and manufacturing.
Agilent’s $925-Million Acquisition of BioVectra
In September 2024, Agilent Technologies completed its $925-million acquisition of BioVectra, a Canadian CDMO specializing in biologics, highly potent APIs, plasmid DNA (pDNA), mRNA, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), and fill–finish services. BioVectra recently invested $240 million to expand its facilities in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
Sterile Manufacturing & Aseptic Fill-Finish Expansions
Beyond Novo’s Catalent deal, other companies are investing in sterile manufacturing:
- Simtra BioPharma Solutions invested over $250 million to expand its sterile fill-finish site in Bloomington, Indiana, and an additional $100 million for a high-speed syringe and vial line in Germany.
- Lonza is spending CHF 500 million ($547 million) on a new commercial fill–finish facility in Stein, Switzerland, set to open in 2026.
- Vetter is constructing a $252-million production building at its Ravensburg, Germany, headquarters.
High-Potency Drug Manufacturing Investments
The high-potency manufacturing sector also saw major developments:
- Lonza is expanding its bioconjugation capacity at Visp, Switzerland, with two new suites, creating one of the world’s largest ADC manufacturing facilities (1,500 m²) by 2026.
- BSP Pharmaceuticals committed $576 million to expand its Latina, Italy, site for cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic drug production, with completion expected by 2028.
- MilliporeSigma is investing $76 million to triple ADC manufacturing capacity at its St. Louis, Missouri, Bioconjugation Center of Excellence.
- Veranova began a $30-million expansion of its ADC and high-potency compound manufacturing site in Devens, Massachusetts.
- Olon announced a $27-million investment to build a new high-potency manufacturing facility in Italy, scheduled to be operational by 2026.
Looking Ahead
The CDMO/CMO industry in 2024 has been defined by strategic acquisitions, billion-dollar expansions, and increased manufacturing capabilities across biologics, peptides, sterile injectables, and high-potency drugs. With growing demand for innovative therapies, the sector remains poised for further consolidation and investment in the coming years.
CDMO
CDMO
Comments are closed.
