What Cenexi does

Cenexi is a French-headquartered Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) founded in 2004 that specializes in sterile injectable pharmaceutical manufacturing. The company operates four production sites — Fontenay-sous-Bois (headquarters), Osny, and H\u00e9rouville-Saint-Clair in France, plus Braine-l'Alleud in Belgium — with a combined workforce of approximately 1,500 people and ~€200M in revenue as of 2021. Cenexi's core capabilities include aseptic filling of ampoules (410 million units/year, the highest capacity in Europe), sterile liquid and freeze-dried vials (68 million/year), pre-filled syringes (37 million/year), and non-sterile forms (tablets, capsules, syrups, creams). The company maintains specialized expertise in high-potency compounds, oncology products, hormonal therapies, narcotics, and biologicals (monoclonal antibodies, ADCs, mRNA/DNA, peptides), supported by six freeze-dryers and dedicated cytotoxic handling infrastructure across multiple sites. Cenexi Services, with 110 dedicated experts, provides formulation, analytical development, industrial transfer, and regulatory support, enabling an end-to-end offering from early development through commercial manufacturing.

Cenexi operates as a B2B contract manufacturer, generating revenue through long-term manufacturing agreements and project-based development services. Its customer base spans large pharmaceutical companies (Sanofi, Piramal), specialty pharma (Advanz, Biocodex, Cheplapharm, Debiopharm, Nordic Pharma, Provepharm, Urogen), generics manufacturers (Arrow, Mithra), and innovative biotechs (Crossject, OSE Immunotherapeutics, Humanigen). The company is registered with health authorities in 124 countries and holds FDA, ANSM, AFMPS, ANVISA, KFDA, and PMDA approvals, enabling global market access for customers. A filed patent for a novel industrial filling process for the Crossject ZENEO® needle-free auto-injector illustrates Cenexi's capability in drug-device combination manufacturing. Cenexi is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gland Pharma, an Indian pharmaceutical company; Gland Pharma's CDMO segment (anchored by Cenexi) grew 28% in FY26, and Cenexi is expected to deliver low double-digit growth in FY27 with stronger momentum in FY28 as a €100M+ modernization program and new capacity come online. The strategic mix is shifting toward sterile (targeting 80% of revenue by 2026/2027, up from 70% in 2022), with growth driven by biologics manufacturing authorization, new product lines, and long-term commercial supply agreements.

Name

Cenexi

Legal name

Cenexi S.A.S.

Website

https://cenexi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cenexi is a French CDMO founded in 2004 that manufactures sterile injectable pharmaceuticals — ampoules, vials, pre-filled syringes, and lyophilized products — across four sites in France and Belgium, with specialization in high-potency, oncology, and biological products for ~100 pharmaceutical customers in 124 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing (CDMO)

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sterile Fill-Finish & Aseptic Manufacturing CDMO (HLAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO (HLAGABAC), Drug Substance–Drug Product Integrated CDMO (HLAGABAG), Clinical Trial Material (CTM) Manufacturing & Supply CDMO (HLAGABAK)

Keywords

• Sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Contract pharmaceutical development
• Sterile injectable fill-finish
• Lyophilized drug manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical CDMO services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fontenay-sous-bois

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CDMO Manufacturing Contracts: Cenexi operates as a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), generating revenue through long-term manufacturing contracts with pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, and generic manufacturers. Revenue is generated through contractual manufacturing agreements for sterile and non-sterile pharmaceutical forms, with recurring revenue from commercial batches and development fees from new product transfers.
2. Pharmaceutical Development Services: Cenexi generates revenue from formulation activities, analytical and pharmaceutical form developments, industrial transfer, and regulatory support services through its Cenexi Services entity (110 experts). Services are provided upstream (during drug development) and downstream (regulatory and logistical support), billed as project-based or milestone-based professional services.
3. Parent Company (Gland Pharma) CDMO Integration: Cenexi, as a European subsidiary of Gland Pharma, contributes to the parent's CDMO business which accounts for nearly half of Gland Pharma's consolidated revenue and grew 28% in FY26. Cenexi is expected to deliver low double-digit revenue growth in FY27 and stronger momentum in FY28 on the back of capacity additions and new product lines.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cenexi is a French Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that produces sterile and non-sterile pharmaceutical forms on behalf of pharmaceutical laboratories, innovative biotechs, and generic manufacturers. Its core manufacturing covers injectable ampoules (highest capacity in Europe at 410 million units/year), sterile liquid and freeze-dried vials, and pre-filled syringes, supported by specialized handling of highly potent compounds, cytotoxics, hormones, narcotics, and biological products (mAbs, ADCs, mRNA/DNA, peptides). It complements manufacturing with pharmaceutical development, industrial transfer, regulatory support, and stability testing services.

Product overview

Cenexi is a French Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) founded in 2004, operating as a single integrated offering with four production sites (Fontenay-sous-Bois, Osny, and Hérouville-Saint-Clair in France; Braine-l'Alleud in Belgium). The company provides an end-to-end service spanning pharmaceutical development (via Cenexi Services with 110 experts), regulatory support, manufacturing, and packaging. The core products include sterile forms (ampoules, vials, pre-filled syringes) representing approximately 70% of business, and non-sterile forms (tablets, capsules, syrups, creams, lotions, drops). Special capabilities cover narcotics/psychotropics, highly potent compounds (allergens, hormones, oncology), and biological products (monoclonal antibodies, ADC, mRNA/DNA, peptides). The company serves innovative biotechs as a preferred partner while also manufacturing commercial batches for generic and originator pharma companies, with registrations in 124 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Injectable Ampoules Aseptic filling of injectable ampoules (1-25 ml) with the highest production capacity in Europe at 410 million units per year across 8 filling lines (6 at Fontenay-sous-Bois, 2 at Hérouville-Saint-Clair); three lines are Annex 1-compliant.
• Sterile Vials (Liquid and Freeze-dried) Sterile liquid and freeze-dried vials (2-100 ml) with combined capacity of 68 million units per year across two filling lines at Braine-l'Alleud and Hérouville-Saint-Clair; six freeze dryers with 110 m² useful area, Annex 1-compliant.
• Pre-filled Syringes Sterile pre-filled syringes (1-50 ml) manufactured at Hérouville-Saint-Clair and Braine-l'Alleud with combined capacity of 37 million units per year, supporting conventional, highly potent, and biological substances including mRNA, DNA, peptides/proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and ADC.
• Tablets Non-sterile tablet manufacturing with capacity of 1 billion tablets per year including hormonal tablets; capabilities in direct compression, wet/alcohol granulation, double compression, and coating at Fontenay-sous-Bois and Osny sites; handles conventional and narcotic substances.
• Capsules Capsule manufacturing with powder and microgranule filling capabilities at Fontenay-sous-Bois and Osny sites, including hormonal and allergen workshops, with full control of capsule mass.
• Syrups Syrup manufacturing and packaging in glass or plastic bottles (50-150 ml) at Hérouville-Saint-Clair site, with two syrup lines including a 5,000-l manufacturing tank and filling under nitrogen atmosphere.
• Creams, Ointments and Lotions Topical preparations including creams and ointments filled into aluminum tubes (15-100 g) and lotions in plastic bottles (up to 250 ml) at Hérouville-Saint-Clair site.
• Drinkable Drops Drinkable drops manufacturing at Hérouville-Saint-Clair in 30-ml vials with dropper pipette, including steroid hormones.
• Narcotics and Psychotropics Manufacturing Manufacturing of drugs with psychoactive properties subject to strict regulation; Fontenay-sous-Bois site holds ANSM authorization for narcotics and psychotropics with full traceability.
• Highly Potent Compounds Manufacturing Highly potent compounds including allergens, hormones, and oncological products (cytotoxic and cytostatic) manufactured at Braine-l'Alleud, Hérouville-Saint-Clair, and Osny sites, effective at very low doses.
• Biological Products Manufacturing Biological drugs including monoclonal antibodies, ADC (antibody-drug conjugates), mRNA and DNA, peptides and proteins manufactured at Braine-l'Alleud and Hérouville-Saint-Clair sites with ANSM authorization for biological products.
• Cenexi Services (Pharmaceutical Development & Industrial Transfer) Comprehensive pharmaceutical development services including formulation, analytical development, pharmaceutical form development, industrial transfer, and regulatory support; 110 experts across three sites supporting projects from preformulation to commercial production.
• Regulatory Services Market authorization file creation (CTD Module 3), variation files, and regulatory strategy support across 124 country registrations including ANSM (France), AFMPS (Belgium), ANVISA (Brazil), FDA (USA), KFDA (Korea), PMDA (Japan).
• Stability Testing Services Pre-stability, regulatory, and commercial stability studies following ICH conditions: -20°C, 5°C, 25°C/60% RH, 30°C/65% RH, 30°C/75% RH, 40°C/75% RH, and photostability testing.
• Clinical Batch Manufacturing Drug product manufacturing for clinical trials including solid forms with hormones (1 kg minimum batches), sterile liquid forms including cytotoxic (1 L minimum), and lyophilized forms.
• ZENEO® Needle-free Auto-injector Fill-Finish

Quantifiable outcome

• 410 million ampoules produced annually — highest capacity in Europe
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HumanigencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2022Cenexi signed a partnership with Humanigen (an American clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company) in February 2022 for the transfer of technology and manufacturing of lenzilumab, one of the most promising treatments for severe forms of COVID-19. Manufacturing takes place at Cenexi's Hérouville-Saint-Clair site. Cenexi may also handle regulatory services and potentially manage the entire supply chain for lenzilumab in France and Europe. Humanigen also submitted a request for early access to lenzilumab in France to the French National Authority for Health (HAS).
• ProvepharmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 January 2022Cenexi manufactures ProvayBlue® (methylene blue) for Provepharm, a French pharmaceutical company. The FDA authorized Cenexi's Hérouville-Saint-Clair site to produce ProvayBlue® in vials for the US market in January 2022. Previously, Cenexi's Fontenay-sous-Bois site had been FDA-approved since 2016 for ProvayBlue® ampoules. Provepharm also obtained its own FDA approval for its active ingredient manufacturing unit. This partnership demonstrates Cenexi's ability to manufacture a customer's product portfolio across multiple Cenexi sites.
• OSE ImmunotherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2021Cenexi entered an agreement with OSE Immunotherapeutics (a Nantes-based biotech) in June 2021 to manufacture clinical batches of CoVepiT, a next-generation multi-target COVID-19 vaccine candidate in Phase 1 clinical trial. Cenexi handles peptide processing, sterile emulsion production, and packaging of clinical batches at its Hérouville-Saint-Clair site with a filling capacity of 40 million bottles per year. The agreement covers Phase 1 clinical trial batches and potentially further clinical phases subject to positive results.
• CrossjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Cenexi and Crossject entered a strategic partnership in 2016 for the development, filling, and final assembly of ZENEO®, a needle-free auto-injector protected by over 400 patents. Cenexi developed novel industrial filling processes (patent filed) with custom equipment for this complex device at its Braine-l'Alleud site in Belgium. The partnership expanded in 2021 to include industrial-scale production ramp-up, with Cenexi handling filling of 8 molecules (Midazolam, Adrenaline, Naloxone, Terbutaline, Hydrocortisone, Methotrexate, Sumatriptan, and Apomorphine) primarily for emergency situations. Cenexi is positioned as Crossject's reference industrial partner for long-term commercial supply.
• Gland Pharma (Parent Company)coreOthersCenexi is a European subsidiary of Gland Pharma (an Indian pharmaceutical company listed on Indian stock exchanges). Gland Pharma acquired Cenexi and has been investing in its capacity expansion. The CDMO business, with Cenexi at its core, accounts for nearly half of Gland Pharma's consolidated revenue and grew 28% in FY26. Gland Pharma guided for 15% medium-term revenue growth and planned ₹2,000 crore capex over five years for CDMO expansion.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Delpharm: French-headquartered CDMO with multi-site sterile and non-sterile manufacturing across Europe. Directly comparable to Cenexi in target customers (big pharma + biotech), pharmaceutical forms (sterile injectables, tablets, capsules), and European site footprint. Alain Kirchmeyer (Cenexi's CEO from Feb 2024) previously held senior roles at Delpharm, indicating direct competitive familiarity.
• Unither Pharmaceuticals: French CDMO specializing in sterile unit-dose pharmaceuticals (single-dose vials, Blow-Fill-Seal, pre-filled syringes) for ophthalmic, respiratory, and injectable applications. Closely comparable to Cenexi in sterile fill-finish focus and French CDMO positioning; Kirchmeyer also came from Unither.
• Recipharm: European CDMO with extensive sterile injectable manufacturing (lyophilized vials, PFS) and a similar focus on serving big-pharma and biotech customers. Comparable in scale, multi-site footprint, and sterile fill-finish specialization to Cenexi's Braine-l'Alleud and Hérouville-Saint-Clair sites.
• Fareva: French-headquartered CDMO with sterile injectable, biotech, and API manufacturing capabilities across Europe. Comparable to Cenexi in customer base (big pharma + generics), multi-site European operations, and service breadth spanning sterile and non-sterile forms.
• Aenova: German-headquartered European CDMO offering sterile liquids, lyophilized injectables, pre-filled syringes, and solid dosage forms. Directly comparable to Cenexi in sterile manufacturing specialization, pharmaceutical forms, and serving pharma/biotech customers in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Catalent: Global CDMO with large-scale sterile fill-finish, biologics, and PFS capabilities. Overlaps with Cenexi in sterile injectable manufacturing and biologics CDMO but operates at much greater scale across multiple continents. Represents the broader competitive set rather than a like-for-like peer.
• Lonza Group: Swiss global CDMO leader with extensive sterile injectable, biologics (mAbs, ADC), and small-molecule API capabilities. Competes with Cenexi for biologics and complex injectable contracts but at substantially greater scale and with a more global footprint.
• Piramal Pharma Solutions: Indian-headquartered global CDMO with sterile injectable manufacturing, ADC capabilities, and high-potency API. Comparable to Cenexi in sterile injectables and HP-API focus; notably, Piramal is also a Cenexi customer, indicating its CDMO offering competes with some of the same customers Cenexi serves.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (CDMO Services): Global pharma services division offering sterile fill-finish, biologics, and clinical manufacturing. Overlaps with Cenexi in commercial sterile manufacturing and biologics services but operates as part of a much larger diversified life sciences platform.

Others

• Gland Pharma: Indian-listed injectable manufacturer and parent company of Cenexi. Operates its own sterile injectable CDMO business (which accounts for nearly half of consolidated revenue), and is therefore both a parent and a partial peer — the integrated CDMO business overlaps with Cenexi's offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/cenexi
• Xx.com/devolia_fr
• Facebookfacebook.com/devolia

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cenexi