CordenPharma, a global leader in Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMO), is making significant strides in expanding its peptide manufacturing capabilities. The company has announced a record investment of over €500 million to build a state-of-the-art greenfield facility in the Basel region of Switzerland, marking a major milestone in its ambitious growth strategy.
Scheduled for completion between 2025 and 2027, the new facility will be located in Muttenz, just 8 km outside Basel, a renowned pharma and biotech hub in Europe. The decision to establish this plant in Switzerland is driven by the region’s infrastructure advantages, including efficient logistical networks, established utilities, and a highly skilled talent pool. The surrounding industrial park is designed with sustainability in mind, offering a closed-loop energy and material cycle system, along with waste-to-value streams to meet CordenPharma’s net-zero objectives.
This new investment forms part of CordenPharma’s broader €1 billion commitment to expanding peptide manufacturing across Europe and the US. The facility will feature multiple manufacturing lines to support small, medium, and large-scale peptide production, focusing on Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS) reactors for both GLP-1 and non-GLP-1 peptide projects. Once operational, the site will support over 300 new jobs, contributing significantly to the local economy.
The expansion aligns with CordenPharma’s long-term goal to exceed €1 billion in peptide sales by 2028, positioning the company as a leading partner for peptide manufacturing. The investment in both Switzerland and its US facility in Colorado will more than double CordenPharma’s SPPS reactor capacity, with projections to reach a total of over 42,000 liters by 2028.
Dr. Michael Quirmbach, President & CEO of CordenPharma, highlighted the significance of the Basel site: “We are excited to announce the construction of a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant just outside Basel, Switzerland, within one of the leading pharma and biotech hubs in Europe. The new facility is designed to deliver flexible and efficient peptide manufacturing to meet the growing demand for innovative peptide medicines for our customers and ultimately, patients.”
CordenPharma’s commitment to expanding its peptide platform reflects the growing demand for peptide-based medicines, and with support from its investor Astorg, the company is well-positioned to strengthen its leadership in the peptide manufacturing space.