Axplora Announces €35 Million Expansion at Farmabios
Axplora to expand its Farmabios site in Gropello Cairoli, Italy, with a €35 million investment. This latest investment builds on the €45 million already committed over the past five years, bringing Axplora’s total recent investment in Farmabios to over €80 million.
The addition of 62,000 m2 of new development in 2026 will more than double the total footprint of the site to 108,000 m2. When Farmabios began commercial operations in 1968, it was much smaller; with the current expansion, the facility will be more than ten times its original size.
“This expansion is not just a matter of scale, it’s about shaping the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing,” said Mario Di Giacomo, Managing Director of Farmabios. “We are investing with purpose: to enhance our capabilities, support our partners, and continue leading with innovation and integrity.”
This expansion follows a period of accelerated growth at Farmabios over the last five years, during which €45 million has already been invested. Key initiatives include the construction of a new micronisation department, expanded warehouse capacity, and the RS40 building – a state-of-the-art unit purpose-built for the safe and efficient handling of High Potent APIs (HPAPIs).
This period of investment has been matched by significant talent growth: between 2020 and 2024, Farmabios’ workforce nearly doubled, from approximately 150 to nearly 300 employees, reflecting the site’s strategic importance within Axplora’s global network. This trend is likely to continue with the expansion of the site.
“The Farmabios site reflects Axplora’s commitment to being a proactive, science-led, and sustainable partner,” said Martin Meeson, CEO of Axplora. “Every investment we make is guided by the ambition to deliver greater value to our customers, while raising the bar in reliability, speed and efficiency.”
Building Advanced Capabilities for a Dynamic Future
Farmabios now features specialized cytotoxic and sterile processing facilities, expanded R&D infrastructure, and improved supply chain and warehousing. In 2024, it installed Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTOs) and received EcoVadis Platinum status, ranking in the top 1% globally for sustainability. A new greenfield expansion increases production efficiency and regulatory compliance. Recent investments include €50 million in Mourenx, €8 million in Le Mans, and further upgrades at Farmabios to strengthen Axplora’s manufacturing network.
