Novasep

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).

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

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

• API manufacturing services
• Pharmaceutical contract manufacturing
• ADC manufacturing
• HPAPI manufacturing
• Molecule purification technologies

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. API Development Services: Early-stage development services including process development, scale-up, and optimization of API manufacturing processes for clients

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core 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.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/novasep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Novasep