What Polypeptide Group does

PolyPeptide Group AG is a Switzerland-headquartered, publicly listed (SIX: PPGN) Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) specializing in peptide-based active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Founded in 1952 in Malmö, Sweden, as part of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, the company became independent in 1996 and today operates six GMP-certified manufacturing facilities across three continents — Sweden, France, Belgium, two in the United States (Torrance and San Diego), and India (Ambernath) — with approximately 1,469 employees. PolyPeptide reportedly manufactures approximately half of all commercially approved peptide APIs globally and has produced over 1,000 GMP peptides across its history, serving pharmaceutical and biotech customers from preclinical development through commercial supply, including innovator and generic peptide APIs, radiolabeled peptides, and custom research-grade peptides.

Name

Polypeptide Group

Legal name

PolyPeptide Group AG

Website

https://polypeptide.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

PolyPeptide Group is a Switzerland-listed CDMO manufacturing peptide-based active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for pharmaceutical and biotech customers, operating six GMP facilities across Europe, the US, and India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing (CDMO)

NAICS

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Small-Molecule API & Intermediates CDMO (HLAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics (HLAAAAAH), GMP Scale-Up, Tech Transfer & Process Validation (PPQ) (HLAGAHAL)

Keywords

• Peptide CDMO services
• Peptide API manufacturing
• GMP peptide production
• Contract pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Generic peptide APIs

Headquarters

HQ city

Baar

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contract Development & Manufacturing Services: PolyPeptide generates revenue through CDMO services for peptide-based active pharmaceutical ingredients. Services span from pre-GMP development, GMP manufacturing, quality control/assurance, regulatory support, through to commercial-scale production. The company manufactures both proprietary peptides for innovator customers and generic peptides for off-patent markets. Revenue is project-based with long-term contractual relationships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PolyPeptide Group is a Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) for peptide-based active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), operating six GMP-certified facilities across Europe, the US, and India. The company provides end-to-end services spanning pre-GMP development, GMP manufacturing, quality control/assurance, regulatory support, and commercial-scale production of proprietary and generic peptide APIs for pharmaceutical and biotech customers. PolyPeptide has manufactured over 1,000 GMP peptides and produces approximately one half of commercially approved peptides in the world.

Product overview

PolyPeptide Group is a Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) for peptide-based active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The company operates six GMP-certified manufacturing facilities across Europe, the US, and India. Its service portfolio encompasses the full drug development lifecycle from pre-GMP development through commercial manufacturing, including GMP peptide manufacturing, custom research grade peptides, radiolabeled peptides, and a portfolio of generic peptide APIs. Key services include production (solid-phase, solution-phase, and hybrid approaches), quality assurance, quality control, regulatory support, and process development and optimization. The company manufactures approximately one-third of commercially approved peptides globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Generic Peptides Commercially manufactured peptide-based generic APIs at commercial scale for human and veterinary markets. Includes ACTH, Atosiban, Calcitonin, Desmopressin, Exenatide, Leuprolide, Liraglutide, Octreotide, Teriparatide, and others with full regulatory documentation (DMFs, CEPs).
• GMP Peptide Manufacturing Services Core CDMO service for GMP-grade peptide manufacturing from gram to multi-kilogram commercial batches using solid-phase synthesis, solution-phase synthesis, and hybrid approaches. Serves academic institutions, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies.
• Commercial Manufacturing Commercial-scale peptide manufacturing including process development, manufacturing scale-up, and regulatory filing support for marketed peptide APIs. PolyPeptide produces approximately one half of commercially approved peptides in the world.
• Pre-GMP Development Early-stage development services including robust production approach design, analytical characterization, pilot lot production, and pre-GMP animal toxicology lots for early-stage peptide programs.
• Production (Small- to Large-Scale) Small-scale to large-scale peptide production processes using solid-phase synthesis, solution-phase synthesis, and hybrid approaches spanning IND through NDA stages.
• Regulatory Support Regulatory documentation preparation including IND/IMPD and NDA/MAA dossiers, DMFs/ASMFs, CEPs, and responses to health authority questions for peptide programs.
• Quality Assurance Quality Assurance units at each manufacturing site for batch records review and cGMP compliance verification, supported by harmonized global QA guidelines across the network.
• Quality Control GMP testing procedures including analytical development for Phase I/II clinical trials, purity determination, and validation for Phase III material release.
• GMP Compliance Services Peptide API manufacturing in compliance with ICH guidelines including Q7, with facilities inspected by US FDA and other regulatory authorities for routine site inspections or specific product approvals.
• Custom Research Grade Peptides Manufacturing of custom research grade peptides in milligram, gram, or pilot scale quantities at predefined purity levels, including modifications such as cyclization, biotinylation, and phosphorylation for academic and biotech discovery customers.
• Radiolabeled Peptides Radiolabeled peptide manufacturing for pharmacokinetic studies and organ distribution studies, with 20 years of experience producing 14C or 3H labelled products for drug development customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manufactures approximately one half of commercially approved peptides in the world
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lupin Manufacturing SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025Long-term strategic alliance between PolyPeptide Group AG and Lupin Manufacturing Solutions (LMS), a subsidiary of Lupin Limited. The collaboration aims to enhance peptide supply chain resilience, expand sourcing options, integrate procurement and supply planning, and ensure quality and reliability for peptide APIs used in metabolic disease therapies including GLP-1 treatments. Partnership strengthens both companies' positions as CDMO suppliers for the rapidly growing peptide therapeutics sector.
• Lifecore BiomedicalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025Collaboration between PolyPeptide and Lifecore Biomedical announced in October 2025 to offer end-to-end peptide manufacturing solution for the US market. The partnership provides integrated capabilities combining Lifecore's expertise with PolyPeptide's peptide manufacturing scale.
• Cytovance BiologicsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025Collaboration announced in January 2025 offers integrated solution for customers seeking to outsource development and manufacturing of microbial and mammalian-expressed peptide drugs with scalable options.
• Numaferm GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Preferred partnership between PolyPeptide and Numaferm GmbH announced in May 2023 to leverage their expertise for the more sustainable production of peptide-based APIs. Collaboration focuses on developing and implementing more sustainable manufacturing methods for peptide therapeutics.
• DonaldsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop solvent recovery system for peptide purification, supporting sustainable manufacturing practices.
• Red Glead DiscoveryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project awarded Vinnova grant for developing more sustainable manufacturing method for a GLP-1 agonist. Collaboration between PolyPeptide in Sweden and Red Glead Discovery in Lund, Sweden.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bachem: Swiss-listed peptide and oligonucleotide CDMO and PolyPeptide's closest direct competitor. Bachem and PolyPeptide together dominate the commercial peptide API CDMO market with overlapping customer bases in pharma and biotech, similar SPPS/large-scale capabilities, and comparable generic peptide portfolios.
• Corden Pharma: Privately held CDMO with a dedicated peptide platform (previously led by PolyPeptide's current CCO). Competes head-to-head with PolyPeptide for peptide API contracts across innovator and generic segments, with overlapping services in SPPS, hybrid synthesis, and GMP scale-up.
• Piramal Pharma Solutions: CDMO division of Piramal Pharma offering peptide and complex API development and manufacturing. Competes with PolyPeptide for pharma outsourcing contracts in peptides and adjacent complex chemistries.
• AMRI (Curia): Global CDMO (formerly Albany Molecular Research) offering small-molecule and peptide API development and manufacturing. Overlaps with PolyPeptide in custom synthesis and GMP peptide manufacturing services for pharma and biotech customers.

Broad incumbents

• Lonza: Global CDMO incumbent that divested its Braine-l'Alleud peptide business to PolyPeptide in 2016/2017 but retains adjacent small-molecule and biologics capabilities. Competes with PolyPeptide for broader CDMO outsourcing budgets and is a key benchmark on margin and scale.
• Catalent: Large diversified CDMO (now part of Novo Holdings) offering peptide and biologic development and manufacturing services. Competes with PolyPeptide for commercial peptide supply agreements and has expanded peptide capabilities relevant to the GLP-1 supply chain.

Emerging players

• WuXi STA: Subsidiary of WuXi AppTec and one of the largest Asia-based CDMOs, with growing peptide and oligonucleotide capabilities. Increasingly competing with PolyPeptide for global peptide API contracts, particularly for US and European biotech customers seeking Asian capacity.
• Asymchem: Chinese-headquartered CDMO with growing peptide and small-molecule API capabilities. Competes with PolyPeptide on cost-competitive peptide manufacturing for innovator and generic customers.
• Carbogen Amcis: CDMO focused on highly potent APIs and complex chemistries including peptide-related work. Overlaps with PolyPeptide in niche peptide and conjugation services for oncology and other specialty indications.
• Novasep: European CDMO with peptide synthesis and purification capabilities (and former employer of PolyPeptide's Director Global Innovation & Technology). Competes with PolyPeptide for custom peptide and downstream processing projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAlBtzgwHOKVWPCiqupz_8g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polypeptide-group
• Xx.com/polypeptidegrp
• Facebookfacebook.com/PolyPeptideGroup

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Polypeptide Group