CordenPharma expands peptide manufacturing with $538M investment in Switzerland

CordenPharma is expanding its peptide manufacturing capabilities with a more than $538 million investment in a new facility in Muttenz, Switzerland, near Basel.

The project is part of the company’s more than $1 billion investment over the next three years to enhance its peptide production across Europe and the U.S. The new Swiss facility will support small- to large-scale peptide production with advanced automation, digitalization, and state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, according to the announcement.

The Muttenz site, located within Getec Park, was chosen for its proximity to Basel’s established biotech and pharmaceutical hub. The location provides key advantages, including existing large-scale utilities, efficient infrastructure, and access to a highly skilled workforce, CordenPharma said.

The facility will feature over 5,000 liters of solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) reactor capacity, supporting the growing demand for GLP-1 and non-GLP-1 peptide therapies. Commercial operations are expected to begin in the first half of 2028, creating more than 300 new jobs in the region.

In addition to the Swiss project, CordenPharma is expanding its Boulder, Colorado site with both new and existing production capabilities. The U.S. expansion will more than double the site’s SPPS reactor capacity to over 42,000 liters by 2028. These developments aim to strengthen CordenPharma’s position as a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) in the peptide space.

CordenPharma CEO Michael Quirmbach said in a statement that the company is committed to addressing the increasing demand for peptide-based medicines.

Astorg, the private equity firm that acquired CordenPharma in 2022, has backed these expansion efforts, emphasizing their role in enhancing global access to peptide therapeutics. With these investments, CordenPharma aims to surpass more than $1 billion in peptide sales by 2028.