J-Star

What J-Star does

J-STAR Research, Inc. is a US-based contract process research and development (R&D) and cGMP manufacturing organization serving pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in South Plainfield, New Jersey, the company operates two New Jersey facilities totaling 129,000 square feet — a DEA-registered (Schedule II-V) process R&D and manufacturing site in South Plainfield, and a state-of-the-art GMP HPAPI facility in Cranbury with three processing suites and dedicated material storage. J-STAR is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porton Pharma Solutions Ltd., a Chinese-headquartered global CDMO with more than 4,200 employees serving over 1,300 clients across the US, EU, and China.

The company's core service portfolio spans drug substance and drug product development under an integrated CMC platform. Core offerings include Process Chemistry R&D (synthetic route design, scale-up to 100L vessels, high-throughput experimentation, continuous flow, high-pressure chemistry, PAT), Crystallization R&D (solid form screening, single-crystal elucidation), High Potent Compound and Controlled Substances (OEB 4&5 containment, ADC payload-linker development), Drug Product Development (pre-formulation, Phase 1-3 clinical supply, spray drying, hot-melt extrusion), and Analytical R&D/QC (ICH stability, genotoxic impurity analysis, method validation). These are supported by technology solutions in particle engineering and co-processing (developed in partnership with ETC), computational chemistry and data science (DFT-D, MM/MD, QM/MM methods with AI/ML-based DoE via the SuntheticsML platform), and catalysis/enabling technology (biocatalysis, flow chemistry, HTE). Specialized Porton sub-brands extend the portfolio into biologics and conjugates (ADCs, AOCs, PDCs, RDCs), Tides (peptides and oligonucleotides), PROTAC degraders, and RDC radiopharmaceuticals.

J-STAR generates revenue through fee-for-service contract research and development engagements and cGMP manufacturing projects on a project-by-project basis, with pricing determined by scope of work. The go-to-market model is enterprise sales-led: direct engagement with pharmaceutical and biotech clients, supplemented by participation in industry trade events (DCAT Week, AACR, AAPS PharmSci 360, SABPA FTD Forum) and technical content marketing (case studies, white papers, LinkedIn, YouTube). The company targets two primary segments — innovative pharmaceutical companies requiring CMC development support for their pipelines, and biotechnology firms seeking external specialized expertise to accelerate clinical development without building internal infrastructure.

Name

J-Star

Legal name

J-STAR Research, Inc.

Website

https://jstar-research.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

J-STAR Research is a US-based contract process R&D and cGMP manufacturing CDMO, serving pharmaceutical and biotech companies with integrated drug substance and drug product development services from two New Jersey facilities, as a subsidiary of Porton Pharma Solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical CDMO Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

GMP Scale-Up, Tech Transfer & Process Validation (PPQ) (HLAGAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

CMC & Pharmaceutical Development (Formulation/Process/Analytical Development) (HLAIALAD), Small-Molecule CMC Documentation & Regulatory Support (DMF/CMC) (HLAGAHAM)

Keywords

• Contract process R&D
• CGMP manufacturing services
• Pharmaceutical CDMO
• Drug substance development
• CMC solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

South Plainfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Process R&D Services: Fee-for-service research and development for pharmaceutical process chemistry, crystallization, and analytical method development.
2. cGMP Manufacturing: Manufacturing services for drug substance and drug product under cGMP conditions for clinical supply and commercial production.
3. CDMO Services: Full-service contract development and manufacturing organization providing integrated CMC solutions from preclinical through commercial stages.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

J-STAR Research is a contract process R&D and cGMP manufacturing organization serving pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies since 1996. The company provides integrated drug substance (DS) and drug product (DP) development services, including process chemistry R&D, crystallization R&D, drug product formulation, analytical services, and high-potency/controlled substance manufacturing under DEA Schedule II-V registration. Operations are delivered from two New Jersey facilities totaling 129,000 SF, operating as a subsidiary of Porton Pharma Solutions Ltd.

Product overview

J-STAR Research is a contract process R&D and cGMP manufacturing organization (CRO) serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry since 1996. The company operates as a subsidiary of Porton Pharma Solutions Ltd. and provides a comprehensive portfolio of integrated drug substance (DS) and drug product (DP) development services from a single platform architecture. The core offering includes Process Chemistry R&D, High Potent Compound & Controlled Substances (DEA Schedule II-V), Crystallization R&D, Drug Product Development, and Analytical R&D and Quality Control. These core services are supported by Technology Solutions including Particle Engineering & Co-Processing, Computational Chemistry & Data Science, and Catalysis & Enabling Technology. The portfolio also extends to specialized CDMO sub-brands under Porton for Biologics and Conjugates (ADCs, AOCs, PDCs, RDCs), Tides (peptides and oligonucleotides), PROTAC drugs, and RDC drugs. With facilities in New Jersey totaling 129,000 SF, J-STAR delivers end-to-end CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls) solutions designed to help pharmaceutical small molecule R&D programs succeed in all phases of development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Process Chemistry Research & Development Pharmaceutical process research and development services including synthetic route design, scale-up to 100L vessels, asymmetric syntheses, and optimization of low-yielding steps to reduce API cost of goods.
• High Potent Compound & Controlled Substances DEA-registered facility (Schedule II-V) providing research, synthesis, analysis, crystallization, and cGMP manufacturing for controlled substances and high-potency APIs (HPAPIs) with OEB 4&5 containment capabilities.
• Crystallization R&D Solid form screening and selection, crystallization process development, and single crystal structure elucidation services, with over 200 years of cumulative experience in solid form and particle engineering.
• Drug Product Development Early-phase drug product formulation development including pre-formulation evaluations, Phase 1-3 clinical supply manufacturing, and enabling technologies such as spray drying, hot-melt extrusion, and lipid-based formulations.
• Analytical R&D and Quality Control Comprehensive analytical services including method development, validation, ICH stability studies, genotoxic impurity analysis, reference standard certification, and cGMP release testing for raw materials, intermediates, and APIs.
• ADC Payload-Linker Development Payload-linker process development and manufacturing (10-100L, OEB 4&5) with bioconjugation capabilities (10L, OEB 5) supporting preclinical through Phase III deliveries and NDA filings.
• Particle Engineering & Co-Processing CRO services including dry and wet milling, growth and nucleation control, co-precipitation technology, and DS-DP co-processing to enhance powder flowability and bulk density for direct compression.
• Computational Chemistry & Data Science Molecular modeling and data science capabilities using computational chemistry (DFT-D, MM & MD, QM/MM methods) with 24-core/192GB RAM infrastructure for predicting molecular properties, virtual screening, and process optimization.
• Catalysis & Enabling Technology Integrated catalysis reaction development services including biocatalysis, flow chemistry, and high-throughput experimentation (HTE) to optimize chemical reactions and reduce process development timelines.
• Porton Biologics and Conjugates CDMO Comprehensive biologics and conjugates CDMO services including ADCs, AOCs (antibody oligonucleotide conjugates), PDCs, and RDCs for protein-drug conjugate research, process development, and GMP manufacturing.
• Porton Tides CDMO Peptides and oligonucleotides CDMO services with R&D platforms for conjugated drugs, high-performance liquid chromatography, and Tides analysis covering new drugs from preclinical to commercial stages.
• Porton PROTAC CDMO PROTAC (Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras) drug technological solutions providing one-stop development services for targeted protein degradation therapeutics.
• Porton RDC Drugs CDMO Radiopharmaceutical precursors and cold drugs CMC solutions for radionuclide-drug conjugates (RDCs), including peptide-based RDCs for integrated tumor diagnosis and treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced process steps from 11 to 3, lowering cost from $500,000 to under $7,500 per kg
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ETCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Porton J-STAR and ETC started a 2-year collaboration on co-processing platform technology to improve drug manufacturing. This partnership focuses on developing and advancing co-processing capabilities for enhanced drug product performance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hovione: Portuguese-headquartered CDMO with deep specialization in small-molecule API process development, particle engineering, and crystalline form selection — a direct peer to J-STAR given overlapping capabilities in complex chemistry and solid-form R&D.
• Cambrex: Small-molecule API CDMO with multiple US and European facilities providing process R&D, scale-up, and cGMP manufacturing — a direct competitor to J-STAR in contract pharmaceutical chemistry and custom synthesis.
• Asymchem: China-based small-molecule CDMO offering end-to-end CMC services including process R&D, cGMP manufacturing, and peptide/oligonucleotide capabilities — directly comparable to Porton/J-STAR in business model, customer base, and chemistry scope.
• WuXi STA (WuXi AppTec): Global CDMO arm of WuXi AppTec providing small-molecule API development, HPAPI manufacturing, and integrated CMC — a direct peer in scale, modality, and service offering, and a benchmark for the kind of CDMO that Chinese-owned J-STAR competes against.
• Alcami: US-headquartered mid-size CDMO with cGMP manufacturing, analytical services, and pharmaceutical development capabilities — a comparable mid-size American CDMO serving similar pharma/biotech customers.
• Curia (formerly AMRI): Global CDMO providing small-molecule API, drug product, and analytical services with US-based facilities — a direct peer in contract pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing for innovative drug programs.
• Piramal Pharma Solutions: India-based global CDMO offering API, HPAPI, and integrated CMC services with US presence — directly comparable in scope of small-molecule and high-potency contract development and manufacturing.

Broad incumbents

• Catalent: Large global CDMO (now under Novo Holdings) offering drug substance, drug product, and biologics services — a broad incumbent competitor with overlapping small-molecule capabilities but a much wider modality portfolio than J-STAR.
• Lonza: Switzerland-based global CDMO with the largest small-molecule API and biologics capacity in the industry — a broad incumbent competing with J-STAR on enterprise pharmaceutical accounts but with significantly greater scale and modality breadth.
• Patheon (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Global CDMO within Thermo Fisher offering API, drug product, and clinical/commercial manufacturing — a broad incumbent with overlapping small-molecule CMC capabilities and substantially larger scale than J-STAR.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PortonPharma-qj9lv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/j-star-research-inc
• Xx.com/JSTARResearchI1
• Facebookfacebook.com/jstarresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 J-Star