What Farmabios does

Farmabios is an Italian Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturer founded in 1961 and headquartered in Gropello Cairoli, Italy. Operating as a subsidiary brand of Axplora Group GmbH (Germany), Farmabios sits alongside sister brands Novasep CDMO and PharmaZell within a 2,000+ employee multinational CDMO platform spanning Europe, India, and the United States. The company specializes in non-sterile and sterile steroid APIs, high-potency substances, and anticancer drugs, with a regulatory track record and customer audit history that anchors its position in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Farmabios' core technology centers on complex API manufacturing capabilities including high-potency API (HPAPI) handling, antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) payload production, flow chemistry, electrochemistry, hazardous chemistry, solid-state chemistry, and lipid production. These specialized technologies position the unit within Axplora's broader portfolio to address oncology (ADCs, cytotoxic compounds), metabolic disorders (GLP-1 receptor agonists), and other high-complexity therapeutic areas. The company serves enterprise pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers on a B2B contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) basis, engaging through direct expert contact, regulatory compliance services, and project-based manufacturing partnerships.

The business model is professional-services based: revenue derives from long-term contract manufacturing agreements and project-based development engagements with enterprise pharma clients. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to manufacturing complexity; no public pricing exists. Customer reach is broad, with 900+ customers served across the Axplora group over the past three years, including named partnerships with Paratek Pharma and US-based biotechs. Distribution is exclusively B2B through direct sales, with no consumer channels. Marketing is conducted via corporate website, industry events, press releases, and direct expert engagement rather than mass-market channels.

Name

Farmabios

Legal name

Farmabios

Website

https://farmabios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Farmabios is an Italian API manufacturer (founded 1961) specializing in steroids, high-potency substances, and anticancer drugs, operating as a subsidiary brand of the Axplora Group CDMO alongside Novasep CDMO and PharmaZell. It serves enterprise pharmaceutical and biotech customers on a B2B contract manufacturing basis across Europe, India, and the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Manufacturing

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Small-Molecule API Commercial Manufacturing (HLAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Biologic API/Drug Substance Manufacturing Services (HLAAAKAA)

Keywords

• Active pharmaceutical ingredients
• Steroid API manufacturing
• HPAPI manufacturing
• Anticancer drug manufacturing
• Contract API manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Gropello Cairoli

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract API Manufacturing: Contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) providing API manufacturing services to pharmaceutical companies. Revenue generated through long-term manufacturing contracts and project-based development services for complex pharmaceutical ingredients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Farmabios manufactures non-sterile and sterile steroids as Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), with a portfolio spanning high-potency substances and anticancer drugs. Operating as part of Axplora Group, the company serves pharmaceutical customers through contract API manufacturing with a global manufacturing footprint and established regulatory track record.

Product overview

Farmabios operates as an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) supplier within the Axplora Group portfolio. The company offers API manufacturing services including products portfolio, manufacturing sites worldwide, and a regulatory track record. Farmabios is one of three main brands under Axplora, alongside Novasep CDMO (specializing in complex APIs, ADCs, HPAPIs, and specialized chemistry technologies) and PharmaZell (focusing on specialty products).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Non-sterile and Sterile Steroid APIs

Quantifiable outcome

• Served millions of patients worldwide through manufactured APIs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Paratek PharmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Paratek Pharma for API manufacturing; customer describes Axplora as an exceptional CMO with unique technical expertise in chromatography and small molecule manufacturing. Partnership characterized by interpersonal skills and dedication to excellence.
• US BiotechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContract manufacturing partnership with US-based biotechnology company; Axplora team noted for being open, flexible and efficient in working through project changes, demonstrating adaptability in collaborative relationships.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• WuXi STA (WuXi AppTec): Chinese-headquartered global CDMO with strong small-molecule API and HPAPI capabilities. Overlaps significantly with Farmabios in complex API manufacturing and serves many of the same enterprise pharma customers globally.
• Catalent: Major global CDMO recently acquired by Novo Holdings. Comparable as a large-scale API and finished-dose CDMO serving pharma customers, though broader in scope than Farmabios's specialized API focus.
• Lonza Group: Switzerland-based global CDMO leader across small molecules, biologics and cell & gene therapy. Overlaps with Farmabios on complex small-molecule and HPAPI APIs but operates at much larger scale with broader modalities.

Direct peers

• Fareva: Privately-held French CDMO with API and finished-dose manufacturing capabilities, including sterile injectable fill-finish. Comparable as a privately-held European API CDMO with similar enterprise pharma customer base.
• Recipharm: European CDMO (owned by EQT/private equity) providing API manufacturing and finished dose services. A direct peer in European contract API manufacturing with comparable customer base of pharma companies.
• Siegfried Holding: Swiss-headquartered CDMO offering API manufacturing services including steroids, controlled substances and complex small molecules. Comparable as a European-listed API CDMO serving similar pharmaceutical customers with similar technology-driven complexity.
• EUROAPI: Paris-based API manufacturer spun out from Sanofi in 2022, producing both small-molecule APIs and steroid/hormone APIs. Directly comparable to Farmabios in European API manufacturing, with overlapping steroid and complex API capabilities.
• Veranova (formerly Johnson Matthey Health): US- and UK-based specialist API manufacturer focused on complex APIs, HPAPIs and oncology payloads. A direct peer in the high-potency, oncology-adjacent API space where Farmabios and Axplora Novasep CDMO compete.
• Hovione: Portuguese CDMO specializing in complex small molecules, HPAPI handling, and formulation services. Closely comparable to Farmabios in tackling high-complexity APIs and serving enterprise pharma customers with specialized chemistry.

Emerging players

• PolyPeptide Group: Swiss-listed peptide API manufacturer serving pharma and biotech customers. Adjacent peer with overlap in complex peptide/small-molecule APIs, particularly relevant given the GLP-1 manufacturing investment at Mourenx.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/farmabios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Farmabios