Bachem

What Bachem does

Bachem Holding AG is a Swiss-listed contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) founded in 1971, specializing in the development and manufacture of peptides and oligonucleotides for pharmaceutical and biotech customers. Headquartered in Bubendorf, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker BANB; OTCMKTS: BCHMF/BCHMY), the company operates GMP-certified manufacturing facilities across three countries: Bubendorf, Vionnaz, and the new Sisslerfeld site in Switzerland; Torrance and Vista in the United States; and St. Helens in the United Kingdom. Bachem serves pharmaceutical and biotech drug developers from clinical through commercial stages, with secondary customer segments in in-vitro diagnostics (where UK output has doubled through a partnership) and academic/research institutions served via its catalog peptides business.

Bachem's core technology platform is built around solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), with demonstrated expertise in both Fmoc-SPPS and Boc-SPPS methodologies using various resin types and protecting group strategies. The company has published feasibility data showing that its optimized linear SPPS process delivers higher yields and more cost-efficient manufacturing for many GLP-1-class peptides at commercial scale compared with fragment-based approaches — directly relevant to the GLP-1 therapeutic boom. The product portfolio spans the full peptide and oligonucleotide lifecycle: NCE clinical development, GMP commercial API manufacturing, custom peptide synthesis, catalog peptides and amino acid derivatives (shop.bachem.com), plus specialized offerings for cosmetics, diagnostics, and medical devices. Vertical integration includes project management, regulatory and quality support, and analytical capabilities delivered from all three country footprints.

The business model is B2B contract manufacturing, generating revenue primarily through long-term supply contracts (anchored by a CHF 1 billion five-year peptide contract signed in November 2025 with an existing customer) and project-based custom synthesis and GMP manufacturing engagements won through competitive tenders. FY2025 revenue reached CHF 695.1 million (+14.8% reported, +19.2% local currency) with EBITDA of CHF 214.7 million (30.9% margin) and net income of CHF 148.8 million (+23.7% YoY). The company is investing aggressively in capacity, with planned FY2026 CAPEX of more than CHF 400 million (up from CHF 332.6 million in FY2025), supporting the Building K ramp-up in Bubendorf, the Vista (US) expansion to nearly one metric ton of annual peptide output, and the new Sisseln greenfield site. Management guides to 35–45% sales growth in local currencies for FY2026, contingent on Building K's commercial ramp.

Name

Bachem

Legal name

Bachem Holding AG

Website

https://bachem.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Bachem is a Swiss-listed CDMO specializing in peptide and oligonucleotide GMP manufacturing for pharmaceutical and biotech customers, operating production facilities in Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom with FY2025 revenue of CHF 695.1 million.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing (Peptide & Oligonucleotide CDMO)

NAICS

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Drug Substance–Drug Product Integrated CDMO (HLAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Clinical Trial Material (CTM) Manufacturing & Supply CDMO (HLAGABAK)

Keywords

• Peptide CDMO services
• Oligonucleotide manufacturing
• GMP API production
• Peptide synthesis services
• Pharmaceutical contract manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bubendorf

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CDMO Contract Manufacturing Services: Bachem generates revenue through project-based contracts for custom peptide and oligonucleotide synthesis, manufacturing, and development services for pharmaceutical and biotech clients. Revenue is driven by long-term supply contracts (e.g., CHF 1 billion five-year contract) and smaller custom synthesis projects. The company operates on a business-to-business model serving drug developers across clinical and commercial stages.
2. Catalog Peptide Products: Bachem sells catalog peptides and amino acid derivatives through its online shop (shop.bachem.com), providing research-use peptides to academic and industrial research customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bachem is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that develops and manufactures peptide and oligonucleotide active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) under GMP conditions for pharmaceutical and biotech customers. Its offering spans clinical development, custom peptide synthesis, catalog research peptides, amino acid derivatives, and large-scale commercial API manufacturing, delivered from facilities in Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Product overview

Bachem is a leading CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) specializing in the development and manufacture of peptides and oligonucleotides for pharmaceutical and biotech customers. The company operates as a single unified manufacturing platform with integrated services spanning the entire product lifecycle. The core offering comprises Peptide NCE Development and Peptide API Manufacturing for clinical and commercial supply, complemented by Custom Peptide Synthesis and Catalog Peptides for research applications. Amino Acid Derivatives support the synthesis workflow, while Cosmetic Peptides and Peptides for Diagnostics/Medical Devices serve specialized market segments. On the oligonucleotide side, Bachem provides Oligonucleotide NCE Development and Oligonucleotide API Manufacturing. Supporting services include Project Management, Quality and Regulatory support, Analytical Capabilities, and Supply and Vertical Integration. The company also offers a scientific Peptide Calculator tool for molecular weight and property calculations. Services are delivered across multiple GMP-certified manufacturing sites in Switzerland, the USA, and the UK, with the recently approved Building K facility in Bubendorf enabling expanded commercial-scale production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peptide NCE Development Comprehensive CDMO service supporting the clinical development of peptide active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), guiding candidates through preclinical and clinical phases toward regulatory approval. Targeted at pharmaceutical and biotech companies developing peptide-based therapeutics.
• Peptide API (Drug Substance Manufacturing) GMP-compliant commercial manufacturing of peptide APIs at large scale for pharmaceutical customers, including blockbuster and late-stage peptide therapeutics. Delivered from facilities in Bubendorf (CH), Vionnaz (CH), Vista (US), and St. Helens (UK), with Vista targeting nearly one metric ton of annual peptide output.
• Custom Peptide Synthesis Services Custom-synthesized peptides for research customers, using Fmoc-SPPS and Boc-SPPS methodologies with multiple resin types and protecting group strategies. Serves academic and industrial research customers requiring tailored peptide sequences and scales.
• Catalog Peptides Ready-to-use catalog peptides and related research reagents, including amino acid derivatives, enzyme substrates, FRET substrates, inhibitors, and preloaded resins, sold via Bachem's online shop to academic and industrial research customers.
• Amino Acid Derivatives Specialized amino acid derivatives including Fmoc- and Boc-protected forms, preloaded resins, pseudoproline dipeptides, isoacyl dipeptides, and isotope-labeled derivatives, supplying the building blocks used in peptide synthesis.
• Cosmetic Peptides Peptides formulated and manufactured for cosmetic and personal care applications, serving the beauty and skincare industry.
• Peptides for Diagnostics and Medical Devices Peptides designed for in-vitro diagnostic applications and medical devices, including diagnostic peptide output scaled at the St. Helens UK site where a partnership with an IVD customer has doubled output.
• Oligonucleotide NCE Development Clinical development service for oligonucleotide active pharmaceutical ingredients, including synthesis and process development support for early-phase oligonucleotide NCEs. Targeted at biotech and pharma developers of RNA-based therapeutics.
• Oligonucleotide API (Drug Substance Manufacturing) GMP-compliant commercial manufacturing of oligonucleotide APIs for pharmaceutical and biotech customers, supporting the development and supply of RNA-based therapeutics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Optimized linear SPPS delivers higher overall yields and more cost-efficient manufacturing for GLP-1-like peptides at commercial scale

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ImmuPharmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026ImmuPharma appointed Bachem following a competitive tender process to produce the active pharmaceutical ingredient for its Kapiglucagon programme, a proprietary glucagon prodrug being developed for type 1 diabetes. Bachem will first focus on the ingredient workstream before a separate partner is appointed for formulation and finished drug product.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• PolyPeptide Group: PolyPeptide Group is a specialist peptide CDMO offering custom synthesis and GMP manufacturing of peptide APIs for pharma and biotech. It is the most direct publicly listed peer to Bachem's peptide manufacturing business, with overlapping customers and product types.
• CordenPharma: CordenPharma (a private CDMO owned by International Chemical Investors Group) operates a dedicated peptide platform alongside other modalities. It competes head-to-head with Bachem for commercial and clinical peptide API contracts.
• AmbioPharm: AmbioPharm is a US-based peptide CDMO focused on custom peptide synthesis and GMP API manufacturing. It is a direct competitor in the peptide API CDMO market, particularly for clinical-stage and smaller commercial supply contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Lonza Group: Lonza is the world's largest CDMO with peptides, oligonucleotides, and biologics capabilities. While broader in scope, it competes directly with Bachem in peptide and oligonucleotide API manufacturing for large pharma customers.
• WuXi STA (WuXi AppTec): WuXi STA is one of the largest global CDMOs with growing peptide and oligonucleotide API capabilities. It competes with Bachem on price for both clinical and commercial contracts and has been rapidly expanding peptide capacity.
• Bio-Techne: Bio-Techne manufactures research-grade peptides, proteins, and reagents and also offers GMP peptide production capabilities. It overlaps with Bachem on the catalog/research peptide business and increasingly on GMP peptide CDMO services.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (CDMO services): Thermo Fisher provides a broad suite of pharma services including API manufacturing, analytical, and contract manufacturing. While not a peptide specialist, its Patheon CDMO network includes peptide and oligonucleotide capabilities that overlap with Bachem's offering.

Emerging players

• Asymchem Laboratories: Asymchem is a Chinese CDMO with growing peptide and oligonucleotide capabilities alongside its core small-molecule business. It is an emerging competitor in peptide API manufacturing and represents the broader Asian CDMO capacity build-out.
• Genscript (GenScript Biotech): GenScript operates a life sciences CDMO business including peptide synthesis and oligonucleotide services. It is an emerging player overlapping with Bachem on custom peptide synthesis and oligo capabilities, particularly for biotech customers.

Others

• Eurofins Discovery: Eurofins Discovery offers custom synthesis, peptide libraries, and related discovery/CRO services. While more discovery-focused than Bachem's commercial CDMO business, it overlaps on the custom synthesis and research peptide side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bachemgroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfSYVAMQjY6x2K-t2kYmaPQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/bachemgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bachem
• Instagraminstagram.com/bachem_ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Bachem