• CordenPharma has entered into an agreement to acquire AmbioPharm, a U.S.-headquartered peptide CDMO with facilities in North Augusta, South Carolina (USA) and Shanghai (China).
• With the acquisition, CordenPharma broadens its peptide API development and manufacturing capabilitiesfor complex peptide programs.
• The transaction expands CordenPharma’s upstream and downstream peptide manufacturing footprint by adding further capacity for U.S.-based peptide API supply and bringing Shanghai-based production options into its network for global customers.
• The deal bolsters CordenPharma’s peptide CDMO capabilities, giving customers broader choices in manufacturing lines, scale-up path and regional / global supply models.

CordenPharma, a leading global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), today announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire AmbioPharm, a U.S.-headquartered peptide API CDMO.

Adding complementary peptide API capabilities

With its two sites in South Carolina (USA) and Shanghai (China), AmbioPharm adds differentiated peptide manufacturing capabilities to CordenPharma’s existing Peptides Platform and expertise. Once combined, these will include advanced linear and fragment-based peptide approaches supported by flexible Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS), Liquid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS), and hybrid synthesis, as well as CordenPharma’s Tag-Assisted Peptide Synthesis (TAPS). Following closing, the acquisition will give customers flexible options to match their specific manufacturing requirements for complex, long and high-purity peptide APIs.

Scaling CordenPharma’s facility network

AmbioPharm employs approximately 400 people across its two sites. The acquisition builds on CordenPharma’s global facility network of 11 sites in Europe and North America by expanding its U.S. peptide manufacturing capacity and bringing Shanghai-based peptide supply into its operational footprint.

As CordenPharma’s second U.S. peptide facility, the acquisition of AmbioPharm’s North Augusta, SC site will add significant capacity focused on purification and lyophilization of peptide APIs. The acquisition will complement existing capabilities in CordenPharma Colorado (US), allowing CordenPharma to deliver fully U.S.-based peptide API supply options to meet customer needs for large-scale commercial peptide projects.

At AmbioPharm’s Shanghai campus, CordenPharma will leverage the new state-of-the-art peptide manufacturing facility to support clinical and commercial global peptide supply with significant upstream capacity across SPPS, LPPS and hybrid synthesis, as well as selected downstream capabilities.

Expanding CordenPharma’s global peptide CDMO capabilities

By integrating the North Augusta and Shanghai sites, CordenPharma expands its global Peptides Platform across three continents, offering customers end-to-end peptide development and manufacturing support.

Since CordenPharma was acquired by Astorg in 2022, the company has continued to expand its global Peptides Platform through strategic investments and expanded manufacturing capacity. As part of the transaction, AmbioPharm’s shareholders will reinvest into the combined business. This reinvestment reflects shareholders’ confidence in the capabilities and long-term growth potential of the expanded Peptides Platform. The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

Dr. Michael Quirmbach, President & CEO of CordenPharma Group, commented: “This acquisition significantly bolsters CordenPharma’s Peptides Platform with complementary capabilities and advances our strategic objective to serve as a leading peptide manufacturing partner. As peptide programs become more complex and advanced, customers value CDMO partners who can offer both upstream scientific route selection and process robustness with downstream manufacturing scale and built-in geographic flexibility. AmbioPharm’s capabilities perfectly complement our existing peptide expertise, helping us to broaden the ways we support customers from development to commercialization.”

“Becoming part of CordenPharma marks an exciting new chapter for AmbioPharm. Together, we will be able to offer customers broader technical capabilities, increased global capacity, and a highly reliable Peptides Platform to support the development and commercialization of peptide-based medicines, delivered through a fully-integrated global facility network. Importantly, we remain focused on the patients who rely on these medicines,” said AmbioPharm CEO Brian Gregg.

“This acquisition marks an important step in CordenPharma’s growth journey, enhancing the company’s strategic positioning and supporting significant long-term growth opportunities in peptides,” said Astorg Director Antoine Thomas. CordenPharma’s Chairman of the Board, Paul Perreault, commented, “This is an exciting time for the promise of peptides to help patients across the globe, and now at CordenPharma we strengthen our capabilities to deliver this promise for our partners.”

“Since our investment in AmbioPharm, we have worked closely with the company as a strategic shareholder to enhance its operations and expand its global footprint. We are incredibly proud of what AmbioPharm has achieved and are very excited about its merger with CordenPharma, given the breadth of its peptides platform and expertise. We remain confident in the strong growth potential of the global peptide CDMO market and look forward to continuing to support the combined business as it seeks to achieve the next level of success,” commented Ling Yang, Partner and Head of Healthcare at Carlyle Asia.

BNP Paribas acted as exclusive financial advisor to AmbioPharm.