Robust demand helps Lonza meet mid-term goal

The company’s strategic shift to focus more on the pharma industry than specialty chemicals appears to be paying dividend, with robust demand in its life science segment compensating for a dip in its industrial and consumer linked businesses.

In particular Lonza highlighted the shift towards outsourcing in the biotech sector, which is providing additional revenue to supplement its small molecules business.

To capitalise on this trend Lonza established “tailor-made solutions​”, which provide a different service based on the size of the client. Smaller companies will receive a “small-gate​” and milestone based approach, whereas larger pharmas have a full scope and pipeline service.

Lonza added that it is in negotiations for a number of pipeline deals covering both biologics and small molecules and that the biosimilars joint venture with Teva is “progressing as planned​”.

Completion of 2000L microbial site​

Lonza has finished constructing its 2000-litre microbial manufacturing facility in Hopkinton, MA, US, which the company has developed to meet high market demand for mid-scale operations.

To complement the 2000-litre fermentation train Lonza has built an area to accommodate “complex, high titre and throughput-optimised purification processes​”. The rest of the site has been revamped to improve the reliability of the infrastructure and increase operational efficiency.

Jürg Burger, head of Lonza global microbial operation, said: “We are happy to have finalised the build-out in Hopkinton on-time and in the record-breaking period of only nine months. Now we can offer our customers a state-of-the-art microbial manufacturing facility which allows for tailor-made multi-product operations​.”

HPAPI site achieves certification​

Lonza’s antibody drug conjugates (ADC) facility in Visp, Switzerland also reached a milestone recently, achieving certification that it is competent and proficient in the safe handling of highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs).

The facility, which was completed in 2008, is the first in continental Europe to meet the criteria established by SafeBridge consultants in the “Potent Compound Safety Certification” programme.

Uwe Böhlke, head of Lonza Exclusive Synthesis, said: “The SafeBridge certification shows our advanced capabilities and experience in safely and effectively producing antibody drug conjugates​.

“As a leader in both antibody production and advanced chemical synthesis, we are uniquely positioned to deliver the highest level of quality in this challenging new field of pharmaceuticals​.”