Lisbon, Portugal-headquartered Hovione has completed significant expansions in Europe and the USA. The investments at the facilities in East Windsor, New Jersey, and Ringaskiddy, Cork, significantly increase the global capacities of the CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) for spray drying for pharma applications and improve the sites' capabilities.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has launched XRG, an international lower-carbon energy and chemicals investment company, with an enterprise value of over $80 billion.
Samsung Biologics, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), recently announced a series of manufacturing deals with a Europe-based pharmaceutical company.
Roche has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Poseida Therapeutics, a US clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing donor-derived CAR-T cell therapies, in a deal valued at approximately $1.5 billion.
IMCD Group, a global distribution partner and formulator of specialty chemicals and ingredients, recently announced the expansion of its Pharmaceuticals Technical Centre in Jakarta, Indonesia. This facility will serve as the hub for pharmaceutical development and innovation across Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
The path to a sustainable, net-zero future for the chemical industry is paved with challenges – and also opportunities.
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis has acquired Kate Therapeutics for $1.1 billion. The San Diego, US-headquartered preclinical stage biotechnology company develops adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies to treat inherited neuromuscular diseases.
Avantor has opened its latest Innovation Center in Bridgewater, New Jersey, US, “to support the growing demands for monoclonal antibodies, cell and gene therapy and mRNA workflows.” The new center is now part of the company’s network of 13 global research and innovation centers.
DNACotton is a female-led start-up from Türkiye that has developed a blockchain-based labeling and traceability system for textiles. The solution allows for reliable monitoring and analysis of materials, from fiber production to customer delivery.
Zofingen, Switzerland-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Siegfried inaugurated its new global research and development (R&D) center for drug substances at its site in Evionnaz, Switzerland. The 4,500 m2 center houses chemical and analytical facilities, laboratories, and technologies such as flow chemistry, advanced distillation and process analytical technology, as well as new office space.
Dutch-based multinational distributor Barentz announced that Unipex Solutions France, which it acquired in 2022, transformed into Barentz France. This new structure marks a major strategic turning point, symbolizing the complete integration of Unipex within Barentz and strengthening its presence in France, the group said.
Ilham Kadri, CEO of Syensqo, has been re-elected as president of CEFIC, the European Chemical Industry Council, for a two-year term, effective immediately.
Ambiopharm, a US-based pharmaceutical services company specializing in peptide manufacturing, recently announced the groundbreaking of a 70,000-square-foot (6,504 m2) capacity expansion project at its Shanghai manufacturing site. This $28 million (€26.6 million) project reflects the company’s commitment to serving growing global demand and confidence in China’s vital role in the global pharmaceutical supply chain.
US drugmaker Merck & Co. (MSD) has entered into a global license agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialize LM-299, a novel investigational PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody from Chinese biotechnology company LaNova Medicines.
Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca plans to invest $3.5 billion in the US to expand the company’s research and manufacturing footprint by the end of 2026.
International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG) has acquired the European Advanced Organics business from Valtris Specialty Chemicals. The transaction includes production plants in Tessenderlo, Belgium, and Maastricht, the Netherlands, as well as the benzyl chloride and derivatives portfolio manufactured at those sites.
Dutch specialty chemicals producer Nouryon has completed the capacity expansion for organic peroxides at its manufacturing facility in Ningbo, China. The expansion doubled production capacity to 6,000 tons of organic peroxide products each, which are sold under the Perkadox 14 and Trigonox 101 brands.
Lonza, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for the pharmaceutical, biotech, and nutraceutical markets, announced today that it will invest in additional bioconjugation capabilities in Visp, Switzerland.
US-headquartered Avid Bioservices, a biologics-oriented CDMO, will be acquired by funds managed by GHO Capital Partners and Ampersand Capital Partners in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion. The three companies have signed a corresponding agreement.
German specialty chemicals group Evonik broke ground on its plant expansion for specialty amines at its site Nanjing, China, on Nov. 8. Construction work is expected to be completed in 2026.
Danish biopharma company Ascendis Pharma will grant pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk an exclusive worldwide license to its TransCon technology platform to develop, manufacture, and commercialize proprietary products for the treatment of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
The Discourse on Green Chemistry Interactive Pitch Competition, held on November 5, 2024, at Wiley's Berlin office as part of Berlin Science Week, showcased a range of innovative projects aimed at addressing critical environmental challenges.
SABIC recently announced the official launch of its new US$170 (€157.7) million ultem resin manufacturing facility in Singapore, marking the company’s first advanced specialty chemical manufacturing facility in the region producing the high-performance thermoplastic, ultem resin.
US specialty chemicals company Solenis has acquired BASF’s flocculants business for mining applications. With this strategic acquisition, Solenis enhances its portfolio for mining and mineral processing customers. The transaction, for which financial details were not disclosed, was first announced in July.
Belgium-headquartered pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Ardena announced plans to expand its bioanalytical services in the Netherlands. As part of the investment, the company plans to establish a new bioanalytical laboratory at its Pivot Park facility in Oss, as well as additional capacity and new GLP capabilities at its bioanalytical center of excellence in Assen.
Germany’s Secarna Pharmaceuticals has appointed Konstantin Petropoulos as CEO. He is stepping up from his previous role as the company’s chief business officer (CBO) and succeeds Alexander Gebauer, who is stepping down with immediate effect to focus his efforts on another company, Galimedix Therapeutics, that he has co-founded and is leading.
Finnish chemicals company Kemira announced plans to consolidate some of its pulp & paper chemical production in North America, resulting in the closure of a manufacturing site in Vancouver, Canada. The Vancouver site produces process and functional chemicals for the pulp & paper segment.
Sterling Pharma Solutions, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced the second phase of an expansion strategy at its Deeside, UK site to support antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development, with a more than £10 million (€11.9 million) investment to increase GMP bioconjugation capacity.
The female-led Swedish start-up Renasens has developed a clean, waterless recycling technology that transforms textile waste into valuable new resources.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) agreed to acquire a clinical-stage drug from Chimagen Biosciences, a privately held Chinese biotechnology company. CMG1A46 is a dual CD19 and CD20-targeted T cell-engager (TCE), which GSK plans to develop and commercialize with a focus on B cell-driven autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN), with potential to expand into related autoimmune diseases.
US drugmaker AbbVie has signed an agreement to acquire biotechnology company Aliada Therapeutics, which develops therapies for central nervous system (CNS) diseases using a novel blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing technology to address challenging central nervous system (CNS) diseases.
Today, CEPSA announced its name change to Moeve, marking a historic milestone in the company’s transformation. This change positions Moeve as a leader in the European energy transition and demonstrates the significant progress achieved under its 2030 Positive Motion strategy, reinforcing its full commitment to sustainable energy and mobility.
British pharma company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) plans to invest up to $800 million to expand drug substance and drug product manufacturing capabilities at the company’s US site in Marietta, Pennsylvania. The investment, which GSK said is its largest ever in US manufacturing, is expected to create more than 200 new jobs.
Ineos Styrolution, a supplier of styrenics materials, recently confirmed it will not restart its styrene monomer production site in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, which has been shut down since April 2024.
Italian energy group Eni has finalized its transformation and relaunch plan for Versalis, its chemicals business. As part of the plan, Eni will invest about €2 billion to reduce emissions by approximately 1 million t of CO2, currently about 40% of Versalis' emissions in Italy.
