CordenPharma Acquires AmbioPharm to Expand Peptide API Capacity

CordenPharma, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), recently announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire AmbioPharm, a US-headquartered peptide API CDMO.

Adding complementary peptide API capabilities

With its two sites in South Carolina (US) 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

As CordenPharma’s second US 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 US-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. The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

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,” added AmbioPharm CEO Brian Gregg.