What Aphena Pharma Solutions does

Aphena Pharma Solutions is a U.S.-based contract pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging (CDMO) company serving the prescription pharmaceutical, OTC, dietary supplement, consumer health, medical device, and biologics markets. The company operates two FDA-registered, DEA-licensed (Schedules II-V), cGMP-compliant facilities — a Liquids & Topicals Division on a 27-acre / 184,000 sq ft campus in Easton, Maryland, and a Solid Dose Division in Cookeville, Tennessee — strategically located within a day's drive of approximately 75% of the U.S. population. Founded in 2002 (with the current entity formed through the 2011 merger of four predecessor contract packagers: Celeste Contract Packaging, PrePak Systems, TestPak, and Integrated Pharmaceutical Packaging), Aphena is a portfolio company of healthcare-focused private equity firm Enhanced Equity Funds (EEF).

Aphena's service portfolio spans liquids, gels, creams, ointments, foams, suspensions, and lotions at the Maryland facility, and solid-dose, biologics, cold-chain, and 3PL services at the Tennessee campus. Production capabilities include high-speed automated bottling lines (up to 120 bottles per minute), thermoform and cold-form blister packaging, tube filling, pouches/sachets, unit-dose packaging, medical kitting, and serialization. The company's underlying technology stack comprises QAD ERP, an Enterprise Quality Management System (eQMS), Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), Optel serialization hardware, and RfXcel serialization software for DSCSA compliance — upgraded with the RedZone connected workforce platform in 2026. The Maryland facility grew headcount by 66% (from 150 to over 250) between January 2020 and July 2021, while Tennessee capacity expansion targets 80+ million bottles per month across 30+ planned bottling lines.

Aphena generates revenue through project-based, quote-driven contract manufacturing and packaging fees under multi-year contracts, with pricing tailored to product type, run size, packaging format, regulatory requirements, and service scope. The company sells through a direct enterprise field-sales and business-development motion, targeting large pharmaceutical manufacturers, OTC private-label buyers (named customers include Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, Kroger, Walmart, and Dollar General), and federal clients (Veterans Administration, Department of Defense). The workforce spans 501–1,000 employees across the two U.S. sites, and Aphena holds ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 (BSI) certifications, UL certification, and NABP VAWD accreditation.

Name

Aphena Pharma Solutions

Legal name

Aphena Pharma Solutions Inc.

Website

https://aphenapharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Aphena Pharma Solutions is a U.S.-based contract pharmaceutical manufacturer and packager operating two FDA-registered, DEA-licensed facilities in Tennessee and Maryland, serving pharmaceutical, OTC, dietary supplement, consumer health, biologics, and medical device clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing and Packaging

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Packaging and Labeling Services (56191), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging (Blister Packs, Bottles, Vials, Ampoules) (IMALAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medical Device Packaging (Trays, Clamshells, Kits) (IMALAIAD), Pharmaceutical & Medical Plastic Packaging Manufacturing (IMANAEAK), Anti-Counterfeit & Track-and-Trace Packaging (Serialization, Security Features) (IMALAIAJ)

Keywords

• Contract pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical packaging services
• Serialization and track-and-trace
• Cold chain storage
• Controlled substances packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Cookeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing & Packaging Services: Aphena provides turnkey contract manufacturing and packaging solutions for pharmaceutical, OTC, dietary supplement, consumer health, medical device and biologics markets. Revenue is generated through service fees for manufacturing, primary/secondary packaging, serialization, laboratory services, cold chain storage, and third-party logistics. Services range from small-quantity runs to large-scale commercial production.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aphena Pharma Solutions provides turnkey contract pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging services for solid-dose and liquids/topicals formats, including blending, bottling, blister packaging, tube filling, pouches and sachets, unit-of-use packaging, medical device and biologics packaging, and DSCSA-compliant serialization. Services are delivered from two FDA-registered, DEA-licensed (CII-V), cGMP-compliant U.S. facilities in Cookeville, Tennessee (Solid Dose Division / headquarters) and Easton, Maryland (Liquids & Topicals Division), supported by on-site analytical and microbiological laboratories, cold chain storage, quality assurance, supply chain management, and a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) division.

Product overview

Aphena Pharma Solutions is a U.S.-based contract pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging company providing turnkey services across the pharmaceutical, OTC, dietary supplement, consumer health, medical device, and biologics markets. The company operates two FDA-registered, DEA-licensed (CII-V), cGMP-compliant facilities in Easton, Maryland (Liquids & Topicals Division) and Cookeville, Tennessee (Solid Dose Division), strategically located within a day's drive of 75% of the U.S. population. The product portfolio centers on integrated manufacturing and packaging services: Liquids & Topicals Manufacturing spans 184,000 square feet across 26 acres in Maryland; Solid Dose Manufacturing and Biologics Packaging serve the Tennessee campus. Primary packaging capabilities include Blister Packaging (thermoform and cold-form), Bottling Solutions (liquid and solid-dose), Tube Packaging, Pharmaceutical Pouch & Sachet Solutions, and Medical Device Packaging. Specialty services include Controlled Substances Packaging (DEA CII-V), Serialization Labeling (DSCSA-compliant using Optel hardware and RfXcel software), Unit-of-Use/Custom Unit-Dose Packaging, Medical Kitting Solutions, and Secondary Packaging. Support services encompass Laboratory Test Services (GMP and FDA inspected), Cold Chain Storage (2-8°C refrigerated and -10 to -18°C frozen with 14,000 pallet spaces), Quality Assurance, Commercial Services, Supply Chain Management, and the Aphena 3PL Division. The company holds ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications (BSI), and UL certification, with serialization infrastructure compliant with DSCSA requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Liquids & Topicals Manufacturing Liquid-dose pharmaceutical manufacturing operation spanning 26 acres with 3 manufacturing facilities covering 184,000 square feet, handling solutions, suspensions, gels, creams, ointments, foams, and lotions across a wide range of viscosities.
• Solid Dose Manufacturing Solid-dose pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities including tablet and capsule production supporting prescription pharmaceutical, OTC, and dietary supplement markets.
• Biologics Packaging & Manufacturing Custom injectable assembly, labeling, packaging and serialization services for biologic pharmaceutical products, supported by refrigerated and frozen cold chain storage.
• Blister Packaging Thermoform and cold-form blister packaging services for solid-dose products with capsule, oblong, round, square, and twin pocket configurations.
• Bottling Solutions High-speed automated bottling for liquid and solid-dose products in glass and plastic containers, with integrated cartoner, vision inspection, and serialization running up to 120 bottles per minute.
• Tube Packaging Metal and plastic tube filling capabilities for creams, lotions, gels, and pastes.
• Pharmaceutical Pouch & Sachet Solutions Flexible packets, impregnated swabs and wipes, creams, lotions, gels, and directional spout sachets for unit-dose and single-use applications.
• Medical Device Packaging ISO 13485:2016-compliant packaging services for medical devices providing timely and continued access to safe, effective, high-quality medical device products.
• Controlled Substances Packaging DEA-licensed (Schedule II-V) packaging and storage for controlled substances in multiple formats including solid dose, liquids, creams, lotions, wipes, pouches, blisters, bottles, pads, swabs, gels, and kitting.
• Serialization Labeling DSCSA-compliant serialization labeling using Optel hardware and RfXcel software to provide unit-level drug tracking, aggregation, and traceability data exchange across packaging lines.
• Unit-of-Use / Custom Unit-Dose Packaging Custom unit-of-use packaging for solid and liquid products into dispense-ready formats including thermoform and coldform blisters with individual barcodes, pharmacy dispense-ready bottles, and flexible pouches.
• Medical Kitting Solutions Assembly of multiple products and items into one sellable unit for pharmaceutical and medical device applications.
• Secondary Packaging Secondary packaging services including cartoning, stretch card packaging, over-wrapping or bagging, custom kit assembly, and tertiary packaging.
• Laboratory Test Services On-site analytical and microbiological laboratory services supporting GMP and FDA-inspected operations with comprehensive testing capabilities as part of full-turnkey contract manufacturing services.
• Cold Chain Storage Temperature-controlled storage at refrigerated (2-8°C) and frozen (-10 to -18°C) conditions with 14,000 pallet spaces, 24-hour security, redundant power supplies, and automatic alarm notification.
• Quality Assurance Quality systems management and regulatory compliance oversight for pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging operations.
• Commercial Services FDA-registered, DEA- and State Board of Pharmacy-licensed pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging services for commercial pharmaceutical products including Rx, OTC, and medical devices.
• Supply Chain Management Full-service supply chain and logistics management including raw material qualification, third-party vendor audits, packaging materials sourcing, full inventory management, warehouse services, and domestic and international logistical services.
• Aphena 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) Third-party logistics division providing receipt, storage, and order fulfillment of Rx pharmaceuticals and OTC products, controlled room temperature storage, DEA Schedule III-V storage, with planned cold chain (2-8°C) and order-to-cash services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expanded from 150 to over 250 employees at Maryland facility (66% growth) while maintaining full operations during COVID-19 pandemic
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Konsyl PharmaceuticalsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Aphena acquired an additional 54,000-square-foot facility adjoining its existing Easton, Maryland campus from Konsyl Pharmaceuticals in 2019-2020, after Konsyl decided to divest the facility. This acquisition established Aphena's 27-acre pharmaceutical campus for future growth needs.
• Le Papillon-Bioplan (Ileos Group)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2013In November 2013, Aphena sold its Aphena Health & Beauty division to Le Papillon-Bioplan, a subsidiary of Ileos Group. This strategic divestiture allowed Aphena to refocus on its core pharmaceutical contract packaging and manufacturing business. Key personnel including division manager Dominick Montano transferred to Le Papillon-Bioplan.
• OptelcoreTechnology or IntegrationOptel provides serialization hardware for DSCSA compliance across Aphena's packaging lines. Optel's hardware is a core component of Aphena's serialization infrastructure enabling unit-level drug tracking.
• RfXcelcoreTechnology or IntegrationRfXcel provides serialization software for DSCSA compliance, enabling Aphena to manage product tracking, traceability data exchange, and regulatory reporting. RfXcel software is integrated across Aphena's operations for track-and-trace data management.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sharp Packaging Services: Contract packaging provider for pharmaceutical, biotech, and consumer health products across solid dose, liquids, injectables, and serialization. Directly competes with Aphena in primary/secondary packaging and commercial supply services.
• Bora Pharmaceuticals: CDMO specializing in oral solid dose manufacturing and packaging for global pharma companies. Overlaps with Aphena's solid dose division in scale-up, commercial supply, and packaging for both branded and generic prescription/OTC products.
• PCI Pharma Services: Global contract pharmaceutical development and packaging services provider offering sterile fill-finish, primary/secondary packaging, serialization, and clinical/commercial supply across multiple formats — directly comparable to Aphena's solid dose, liquids, biologics, and medical device packaging portfolio.
• Reed-Lane: U.S.-based contract packaging provider for pharmaceutical and consumer health products, offering bottling, blistering, secondary packaging, and serialization. Closely comparable to Aphena in mid-market commercial contract packaging services for retail and pharma customers.

Broad incumbents

• West Pharmaceutical Services: Manufacturer of primary packaging components and drug delivery systems for injectable and biologics pharma. Comparable to Aphena in injectable/biologics packaging, though focused on elastomers, stoppers, and containment rather than secondary packaging.
• Gerresheimer: Global manufacturer of primary packaging (glass and plastic containers) and drug delivery devices for pharma and biotech. Adjacent but overlapping with Aphena's primary packaging offerings, especially in bottles, vials, and medical device packaging.
• Catalent Pharma Solutions: Large global CDMO offering softgel, oral dose, sterile injectables, biologics, and clinical packaging services. Overlaps with Aphena on solid dose, biologics, and pharmaceutical packaging but operates at much greater scale and with broader end-to-end drug development services.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Patheon): Through its Patheon CDMO business, Thermo Fisher offers global pharmaceutical development, manufacturing, and packaging including commercial supply. Comparable to Aphena in commercial contract manufacturing and packaging but operates a significantly larger and more diversified footprint.
• Körber Pharma (Körber Business Area Pharma): Supplier of pharmaceutical and biotech packaging machinery, track-and-trace serialization, and packaging services. Comparable to Aphena in serialization capabilities and packaging line technology even though its primary commercial model is equipment-led.

Emerging players

• Cold Chain Technologies: Specialist in temperature-controlled packaging and logistics for pharma and biotech, including parcel and pallet solutions. Adjacent to Aphena's newly expanded cold-chain storage and biologics distribution capabilities at the Cookeville campus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aphenapharma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aphena-pharma-solutions-inc.

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Aphena Pharma Solutions