Granules India Buys Swiss CDMO Senn Chemicals
Indian pharmaceutical company Granules India has agreed to acquire Senn Chemicals, a Swiss-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in peptides. The closing of the deal, which is subject to certain conditions, is expected to occur in the first half of 2025. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition brings Senn’s expertise in liquid-phase peptide synthesis (LPPS) and solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), along with a strong CDMO business and established customer relationships across pharma, cosmetics, amino acid derivatives (AAD) & theragnostic segments to Granules’ portfolio.
According to Granules, the acquisition aligns with its vision to enter the rapidly expanding peptide-based anti-diabetic and anti-obesity market, including GLP-1 receptor agonists and other next-generation therapeutics. Granules and Senn have been developing two GLP-1 based active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and more peptide-based APIs are planned to be added to the portfolio, to be developed using Senn’s R&D capabilities, the companies said.
The acquisition marks Granules foray into CDMO segments, further strengthening its global footprint. With this transaction, the Hyderabad-headquartered pharma company wants to leverage Senn’s European presence and innovation-driven peptide platform to accelerate its CDMO expansion and meet the fast-growing demand for amino acid derivative (AAD), peptide fragments, and peptide-based therapeutics. Senn presence in Europe, provides access to a skilled R&D talent pool and regulated market clients.
Krishna Prasad Chigurupati, chairman and managing director of Granules India, said: " By entering the rapidly growing peptide therapeutics segment and acquiring CDMO capabilities, we are expanding into next-generation therapeutics that align with our commitment to innovation and affordability. Senn’s expertise in peptide synthesis, coupled with our large-scale, cost-efficient manufacturing capabilities, positions us to deliver high-quality peptide-based solutions globally."
Rico Wiedenbruch, Senn Chemicals’ chairman, added: "With Granules’ scale, operational efficiency, and global reach in the pharmaceuticals industry, we see strategic fit and tremendous potential to accelerate our growth and expand our capabilities in rapidly growing peptide therapeutics."
