Novasep
Novasep CDMO, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany's Axplora Group, is a French-headquartered Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization providing API manufacturing, HPAPI, and ADC payload services to pharmaceutical and biotech clients across complex chemistry, oncology, and metabolic therapy modalities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersLyon, France
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Novasep does
Novasep CDMO is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization specializing in the production and purification of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Axplora Group GmbH (Germany-headquartered), the company is anchored in France with manufacturing sites at Le Mans (focused on Antibody Drug Conjugate manufacturing and cytotoxic payload production) and Mourenx (targeted at GLP-1 receptor agonist manufacturing). Its service portfolio spans API development, commercial API manufacturing, HPAPI (Highly Potent API) manufacturing, ADC payload production, and a suite of enabling process technologies including chromatography-based purification, flow chemistry, electrochemistry, hazardous chemistry, solid-state chemistry, and lipid production for nucleic acid therapeutics.
The company's technology differentiation is concentrated in complex, hard-to-handle chemistries: high-potency compounds requiring specialized containment, cytotoxic oncology payloads, and continuous-flow processes that improve safety and scalability. Chromatography-based small molecule purification is the historical technical core. Novasep targets three primary customer segments: large and mid-size pharmaceutical companies requiring custom API manufacturing; oncology drug developers needing HPAPI and ADC capabilities; and companies developing GLP-1 therapies for metabolic disorders. Customer testimonials from Paratek Pharmaceuticals and an unnamed US biotech company reference technical expertise in chromatography and flexibility on project changes.
The business model is professional services / contract manufacturing with project-based pricing negotiated individually with each pharmaceutical client, reflecting the custom synthesis nature of CDMO work. Contracts are multi-year and pricing considers manufacturing complexity, potency classification, regulatory requirements, and production volume. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales to pharmaceutical procurement and R&D teams, supported by industry event participation (e.g., DCAT Value Chain Insights). As part of Axplora Group, which employs over 2,000 people across three continents and serves more than 900 customers, Novasep benefits from group-level capacity, a global manufacturing footprint (Europe, India, US), and shared governance including a Scientific Advisory Board. Recent capital deployment has been aggressive: €8 million in ADC capacity at Le Mans (January 2024), a new CEO Martin Meeson (April 2024), and a €50 million GLP-1 investment at Mourenx (February 2025).
Novasep firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Novasep
- Legal name
- Axplora Group GmbH
- Website
- https://novasep.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Novasep CDMO, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany's Axplora Group, is a French-headquartered Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization providing API manufacturing, HPAPI, and ADC payload services to pharmaceutical and biotech clients across complex chemistry, oncology, and metabolic therapy modalities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Novasep industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing (CDMO)
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small-Molecule API & Intermediates CDMO (HLAGABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO (HLAGABAC), mRNA/LNP & Nucleic Acid Therapeutics CDMO (HLAGABAF)
Keywords
Where Novasep is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lyon
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Novasep business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- API Manufacturing Services: Contract manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Revenue is generated through project-based manufacturing contracts with pharmaceutical clients requiring custom synthesis and production of APIs.
- API Development Services: Early-stage development services including process development, scale-up, and optimization of API manufacturing processes for clients
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing for pharmaceutical manufacturing contracts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Novasep product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Novasep is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) providing custom manufacturing, development, and purification services for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), including standard and complex small-molecule APIs, Highly Potent APIs (HPAPI), and Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) payloads for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The service is delivered through specialized manufacturing facilities in France (Le Mans for ADCs, Mourenx for GLP-1 capacity) and is underpinned by proprietary process platforms such as flow chemistry, electrochemistry, hazardous chemistry, solid-state chemistry, chromatography-based purification, and lipid production for nucleic-acid therapeutics.
Product overview
Novasep CDMO is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization that operates as part of the Axplora Group. It provides a comprehensive portfolio of services for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) manufacturing, including standard and highly potent APIs (HPAPI), as well as specialized Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) manufacturing capabilities. The offering is organized around core services (API manufacturing, development, HPAPI) supported by advanced technology platforms (ADC manufacturing, hazardous chemistry, electrochemistry, flow chemistry, solid state chemistry, lipid production, and purification technologies for small molecules, natural extracts, and biomolecules). The portfolio emphasizes complex chemistry capabilities for oncology and metabolic disorder treatments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- API Manufacturing Contract manufacturing services for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients including standard and complex small-molecule APIs, for pharmaceutical and biotech companies requiring custom synthesis and production.
- API Development Early-stage development services for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients including process development, scale-up, and optimization of API manufacturing processes for pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
- HPAPI Manufacturing Contract manufacturing of Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients with specialized facilities for safe handling of oncology and other potent compounds.
- ADC Manufacturing Antibody-Drug Conjugate manufacturing services including conjugation and fill-finish capabilities for oncology therapeutics developers.
- ADC Payloads Manufacturing Manufacturing of cytotoxic payloads for antibody-drug conjugates used in oncology treatments, for biotech and pharma clients developing ADC therapeutics.
- Hazardous Chemistry Services Specialized contract manufacturing capabilities for hazardous chemical reactions and compounds, providing safety-managed synthesis for pharmaceutical and chemical clients.
- Electrochemistry Services Electrochemical synthesis capabilities for sustainable and selective chemical transformations, offered as a contract manufacturing service for specialty chemicals.
- Flow Chemistry Services Continuous flow chemistry manufacturing services for improved safety, efficiency, and scalability in pharmaceutical and fine-chemical production.
- Small Molecules Purification Chromatography and crystallization-based purification technologies for small-molecule APIs, offered as a service to pharmaceutical clients requiring high-purity intermediates and APIs.
- Natural Extracts and Biomolecules Purification Purification services for natural extracts and biomolecules using advanced separation technologies, for life-science and chemical-industry clients.
- Solid State Chemistry Services Solid-state chemistry contract services for polymorphism and crystal form development, supporting pharmaceutical clients in API solid-form selection.
- Lipid Production Services Lipid manufacturing capabilities supporting mRNA and nucleic-acid-based therapeutic applications, offered as a contract manufacturing service for biotech clients.
Companies that use Novasep
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Novasep technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Novasep partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Novasep competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hovione: Portugal-based CDMO specializing in small-molecule APIs, particle engineering, and HPAPI/cytotoxic manufacturing. Highly comparable to Novasep's technology stack (complex chemistry, HPAPI, specialty drug substance).
- Siegfried Holding: Swiss-headquartered pure-play small-molecule API and finished-dose CDMO with HPAPI capabilities. Closely comparable to Novasep in target customers (pharma API outsourcing), services (small-molecule API, HPAPI), and geographic mix (Europe-led).
- Recipharm: European CDMO focused on small-molecule APIs and finished dosage forms with HPAPI capability. Comparable to Novasep on customer profile (pharma API outsourcing), European footprint, and HPAPI specialization.
- EUROAPI: French-headquartered API manufacturer spun out from Sanofi, with a broad small-molecule API portfolio and growing CDMO services. Directly comparable geographic and product overlap with Novasep.
- Carbogen Amcis: Swiss-based CDMO specializing in highly potent and complex APIs, ADC payloads, and custom synthesis. Closely comparable to Novasep's HPAPI and ADC payload focus and customer mix.
- Cambrex: US-headquartered small-molecule API and finished-dose CDMO with strong HPAPI capabilities. Comparable to Novasep in API development, HPAPI, and small-molecule manufacturing services for pharma customers.
Broad incumbents
- Lonza Group: Global #1 CDMO offering mammalian biologics, small-molecule APIs, HPAPI, and cell-and-gene services. Directly comparable to Novasep in small-molecule API, HPAPI, and ADC manufacturing, but at materially larger scale and broader modality coverage.
- Catalent: Large global CDMO with strong positions in softgel, biologics, and oral dose forms. Overlaps with Novasep in complex API and HPAPI services and competes for the same pharma outsourcing budgets.
- WuXi AppTec / WuXi STA: China-headquartered global CDMO with large-scale small-molecule API operations (WuXi STA) and biologics. Competes with Novasep on small-molecule API and increasingly on ADC payloads.
- AGC Pharma Chemicals (AGC Biologics chemicals business): API manufacturing arm of AGC, offering small-molecule APIs and HPAPI services. Comparable to Novasep's HPAPI and complex-chemistry offering within a larger diversified chemicals group.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Novasep social profiles
Digital presenceNovasep financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Novasep leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Novasep subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Novasep funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Novasep M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Novasep
What does Novasep do?
Novasep is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) providing custom manufacturing, development, and purification services for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), including standard and complex small-molecule APIs, Highly Potent APIs (HPAPI), and Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) payloads for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The service is delivered through specialized manufacturing facilities in France (Le Mans for ADCs, Mourenx for GLP-1 capacity) and is underpinned by proprietary process platforms such as flow chemistry, electrochemistry, hazardous chemistry, solid-state chemistry, chromatography-based purification, and lipid production for nucleic-acid therapeutics.
Is Novasep a public or private company?
Novasep is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Novasep founded?
Novasep was founded in 1995. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Novasep based?
Novasep is headquartered in Lyon, France, in the Europe region.
How does Novasep make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. API Manufacturing Services are the primary driver. The others are API Development Services.
Who are Novasep's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hovione, Siegfried Holding, Recipharm, EUROAPI, Carbogen Amcis and Cambrex. Broad incumbents are Lonza Group, Catalent, WuXi AppTec / WuXi STA and AGC Pharma Chemicals (AGC Biologics chemicals business).
Does Novasep have an API?
No public API is recorded for Novasep.
What industry is Novasep in?
Novasep's product category is Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing (CDMO). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGABAA, Small-Molecule API & Intermediates CDMO, with a secondary code of HLAGABAC, Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO. Its NAICS code is 3254 and its SIC code is 2834.