CF Pharma
CF Pharma is a privately owned Hungarian API CDMO founded in 1996, specializing in complex and hazardous small-molecule API development and manufacturing for global pharmaceutical manufacturers, with regulatory approvals in EU, US, Japan, and Brazil.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersBudapest, Hungary
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CF Pharma does
CF Pharma Ltd. is a privately owned, family Schneider-controlled Hungarian active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) founded in 1996 in Budapest. The company specializes in complex and hazardous small-molecule chemistry, including controlled substances, with capabilities spanning process development and scale-up from laboratory (500 g) through pilot (10 kg) to commercial production (1,200 kg/batch) across 130 m³ of total reactor capacity operating at -20°C to +160°C and up to 5 bar. Its commercial portfolio covers seven proprietary APIs: Atracurium Besylate and Cisatracurium Besylate (muscle relaxants), Bicalutamide (anti-cancer), Biperiden base/HCl (anti-Parkinson), Cabergoline (prolactin inhibitor), Lercanidipine HCl (antihypertensive), and Methotrexate (antineoplastic), with an active pipeline of five additional APIs (Apomorphine HCl, Amenamevir, Droperidol, Eserine Salicylate/Physostigmine, Nefopam HCl). Comprehensive analytical services (LC-MS, HS-GC-MS, FT-IR, Karl Fischer, particle sizing, 21 CFR Part 11-compliant data systems) and regulatory documentation (DMFs across EU, US, Japan, Brazil, and Certificates of Suitability) are delivered to pharmaceutical manufacturer and CDMO clients.
The company makes money through two coordinated B2B revenue streams: (1) direct sales of GMP-certified proprietary APIs in standard 0.5 kg and 1 kg package sizes, priced per unit by molecule and regulatory documentation tier under formal Purchase Order terms with 30-day payment and up to 50% deposit; and (2) contract development and manufacturing services for third-party small-molecule APIs on a per-project quote basis, with multi-year contract cadence. All commercial activities are channeled through Pátriapharma Ltd., the family's exclusive commercial partner in Budapest, and Patriapharma Japan Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, established December 2020), enabling direct enterprise field sales into regulated markets across Europe, US (FDA-inspected), Japan (PMDA-inspected), Brazil (ANVISA-inspected, zero observations in 2023), Malaysia, and South Africa. Lead generation is supported by exhibiting at CPHI globally, FCE Pharma São Paulo, Arab Health Dubai, and Chemoutsourcing USA, plus memberships such as the Hungary-Japan Economic Club. In March 2024, Vistin Pharma acquired a 15% minority stake (MEUR 1.6 transaction cap) as part of Vistin's strategy to develop a multi-product European API CDMO, while the Schneider family retains operational control.
CF Pharma firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CF Pharma
- Legal name
- CF Pharma Ltd.
- Website
- https://cfpharma.hu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CF Pharma is a privately owned Hungarian API CDMO founded in 1996, specializing in complex and hazardous small-molecule API development and manufacturing for global pharmaceutical manufacturers, with regulatory approvals in EU, US, Japan, and Brazil.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CF Pharma industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541), Chemical Manufacturing (325)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro industry
- Small-Molecule API & Intermediates CDMOHealthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Contract Development & Manufacturing Organizations (CDMO)Small-Molecule API Commercial ManufacturingHealthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/API & Small-Molecule Development/Manufacturing ServicesGMP Scale-Up, Tech Transfer & Process Validation (PPQ)Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/API & Small-Molecule Development/Manufacturing ServicesControlled Substances / DEA-Scheduled API ManufacturingHealthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/API & Small-Molecule Development/Manufacturing ServicesContract Development & Manufacturing for Generics (CDMO/CMO)
Keywords
Where CF Pharma is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Budapest
- HQ country
- Hungary
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
CF Pharma business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- API Sales: Sale of proprietary active pharmaceutical ingredients including Atracurium Besylate, Bicalutamide, Biperiden base/HCl, Cabergoline, Cisatracurium Besylate, Lercanidipine HCl, and Methotrexate. Products are sold in standard package sizes of 0.5 kg and 1 kg, with EU DMF, US DMF, and Certificate of Suitability (CEP) regulatory status. Payment terms: 30 days from invoice date, with maximum 50% deposit requirement.
- Contract Manufacturing (CDMO/CMO) Services: Contract development and manufacturing of small molecule APIs from laboratory scale (up to 500g) through pilot scale (up to 10kg) to production scale (up to 1200kg/batch). Services include process development, technology transfer, and manufacturing under cGMP conditions. Open to undertaking projects in mg to ton scale.
- Analytical Services: Contract analytical testing services including assay, purity, related substances, residual solvents, Karl Fisher water content, sulphated ash, FT-IR, optical rotation, particle size distribution, and stability storage. Provided to contractual partners as part of full-service CDMO offering.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | API product sales with per-unit pricing based on quantity and regulatory grade |
| Other | Multi-year contract | CDMO/CMO contract manufacturing services quoted per project |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
CF Pharma product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CF Pharma develops and manufactures small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and provides contract development and manufacturing (CDMO/CMO) services to pharmaceutical companies globally. The company specializes in complex and hazardous chemistry including controlled substances, with capabilities spanning process development, scale-up from laboratory (500g) to production (1,200 kg/batch), and full analytical support. Commercial API products include Atracurium Besylate, Bicalutamide, Biperiden HCl, Cabergoline, Cisatracurium Besylate, Lercanidipine HCl, and Methotrexate.
Product overview
CF Pharma is a privately owned Hungarian API CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) founded in 1996 by Dr. Géza Schneider. The company specializes in the development and manufacturing of high-quality, complex active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) with proven experience in handling complex and hazardous chemistry. The product portfolio consists of commercial APIs including Atracurium Besylate (muscle relaxant), Bicalutamide (anti-cancer), Biperiden Base and HCl (Anti-Parkinson), Cabergoline (prolactin inhibitor), Cisatracurium Besylate (muscle relaxant), Lercanidipine HCl (antihypertensive), and Methotrexate (antineoplastic). The pipeline includes Apomorphine HCl, Amenamevir, Droperidol, Eserine Salicylate/Physostigmine, and Nefopam HCl. CDMO services enable contract development and manufacturing of small molecules from mg to ton scale, complemented by full analytical support services. The company operates under the family Schneider-owned structure, with Pátriapharma Ltd. handling business development and Patriapharma Japan serving as the Japanese representative office.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Atracurium Besylate
Quantifiable outcome
- 27 years of successful regulatory inspections with zero critical observations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CF Pharma
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CF Pharma technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
CF Pharma partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Patriapharma Japan Co., Ltd.coreJapanese subsidiary of Pátriapharma established December 28, 2020, with headquarters in Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku. Created with grant funding of HUF 9,900,000 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Export Promotion Programme. Purpose is to meet strict Japanese regulations (PMDA) and provide exceptional customer support to partners in Japan.
- Pátriapharma Ltd.corePátriapharma Ltd. is the exclusive commercial partner of CF Pharma, handling all API sales, business development, and commercial operations. Part of the family Schneider-owned company group structure. Provides business development service within the group and manages customer relationships and procurement.
- EDQM (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare)minorCF Pharma maintains scientific cooperation with EDQM in the context of quality control laboratory operations and European Pharmacopoeia compliance. The company is very proud of this scientific cooperation relationship.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CF Pharma competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hovione: Portugal-based CDMO specializing in small-molecule API development and manufacturing, including complex and hazardous chemistry. Highly comparable in scale, scope, and regulated-market focus (FDA/EMA inspected) to CF Pharma.
- Aenova Group: European pharmaceutical CDMO with capabilities in API development and manufacturing across multiple dosage forms. Comparable in offering CDMO/CMO services to pharma clients in regulated markets.
- Cambrex: Small-molecule API CDMO offering lab-to-commercial scale development and manufacturing with FDA-inspected facilities. Direct overlap with CF Pharma's CDMO service offering and target customer base of pharma manufacturers.
- Symeres: European CDMO (formerly Mercachem/Chemours) providing small-molecule API discovery, development, and manufacturing services. Direct comparable in CDMO service scope and European regulated-market customer base.
- PolyPeptide Group: Public CDMO specializing in peptide and small-molecule API manufacturing for pharma and biotech customers. Comparable in B2B API/CMO commercial model and regulated-market focus.
- Carbogen Amcis: Swiss-headquartered CDMO providing API development and manufacturing, with strong expertise in highly potent and complex chemistry. Comparable technical positioning and customer base to CF Pharma.
Broad incumbents
- Almac Group: Large UK/Ireland-based pharmaceutical services company offering API development and manufacturing among broader CMC, clinical, and commercial services. Overlapping CDMO capability with CF Pharma but at substantially larger scale.
- Johnson Matthey Health: Large, established chemicals and pharma services company offering API and catalyst solutions. Overlaps with CF Pharma's API manufacturing capabilities but operates as part of a much broader specialty chemicals portfolio.
- Eurofins CDMO: Global CRO/CDMO providing analytical and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical industry. Comparable in offering contract analytical and small-molecule CDMO services to pharma clients.
Regional players
- Vistin Pharma: Norwegian-listed API manufacturer and CDMO, and direct 15% minority shareholder of CF Pharma. Strategically aligned with CF Pharma's European API CDMO build-out and a direct comparable in scale and listed-market context.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CF Pharma social profiles
Digital presenceCF Pharma compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
CF Pharma financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CF Pharma leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
CF Pharma subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
CF Pharma funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CF Pharma M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CF Pharma
What does CF Pharma do?
CF Pharma develops and manufactures small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and provides contract development and manufacturing (CDMO/CMO) services to pharmaceutical companies globally. The company specializes in complex and hazardous chemistry including controlled substances, with capabilities spanning process development, scale-up from laboratory (500g) to production (1,200 kg/batch), and full analytical support. Commercial API products include Atracurium Besylate, Bicalutamide, Biperiden HCl, Cabergoline, Cisatracurium Besylate, Lercanidipine HCl, and Methotrexate.
Is CF Pharma a public or private company?
CF Pharma is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CF Pharma founded?
CF Pharma was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CF Pharma based?
CF Pharma is headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, in the Europe region.
How does CF Pharma make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. API Sales are the primary driver. The others are contract Manufacturing (CDMO/CMO) Services and analytical Services.
Who are CF Pharma's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hovione, Aenova Group, Cambrex, Symeres, PolyPeptide Group and Carbogen Amcis. Broad incumbents are Almac Group, Johnson Matthey Health and Eurofins CDMO. Vistin Pharma is listed as a regional player.
Does CF Pharma have an API?
No public API is recorded for CF Pharma.
What industry is CF Pharma in?
CF Pharma's product category is Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGABAA, Small-Molecule API & Intermediates CDMO, with a secondary code of HLAGAHAB, Small-Molecule API Commercial Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 325412 and its SIC code is 2834.