CordenPharma

What CordenPharma does

CordenPharma is a privately-held full-service GMP contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) headquartered in Basel, Switzerland (legally Corden Pharma International GmbH, registered in Germany) and owned by Astorg, a Pan-European private equity firm, since 2022. The company provides integrated pharmaceutical manufacturing services across six core technology platforms: Peptides, Oligonucleotides, Lipids & LNPs, Injectables, Highly Potent & Oncology, and Small Molecules, serving pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers developing complex therapeutic modalities including GLP-1 receptor agonists, mRNA therapeutics, gene therapies, and oncology drugs. The company operates a global network of 11 cGMP facilities across Europe and North America (expanding to 13 sites across three continents with the announced AmbioPharm acquisition), enabling end-to-end supply from early clinical development through commercialization.

CordenPharma's technology portfolio includes multiple peptide synthesis methods (solid-phase peptide synthesis / SPPS, liquid-phase peptide synthesis / LPPS, hybrid synthesis, and proprietary Tag-Assisted Peptide Synthesis / TAPS), oligonucleotide synthesis and purification, lipid excipient manufacturing with LNP formulation, aseptic fill-finish for sterile injectables including prefilled syringes, and high-potency API manufacturing with containment down to 0.05 µg/m³. The patented TAPS technology eliminates resin use and reduces solvent consumption by over 90%, contributing to SBTi-approved emissions reduction targets. The PepCellerate™ offering provides integrated first-in-human clinical trial supply combining peptide API with injectable and oral solid dose drug product, reducing development timelines by approximately three months. FY2025 revenue was €960 million with over 3,000 employees.

The company operates a managed-services revenue model based on long-term supply contracts and project-based CDMO engagements with pharmaceutical and biotech innovators, priced on a per-project basis reflecting the bespoke nature of development and manufacturing services. Sales are generated through direct enterprise engagement supported by thought leadership at proprietary events (LNP Summit, Peptides Summit) and industry conferences (DCAT Week). Customer segments are primarily enterprise pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, with notable exposure to GLP-1/metabolic disorder drug developers requiring large-scale peptide capacity. The company reported more than 40 new client projects in 2025 and is targeting approximately €1.8 billion in total group revenue by 2028, supported by approximately €3 billion in long-term manufacturing contracts and over €1 billion in announced capex from 2025-2028.

Name

CordenPharma

Legal name

Corden Pharma International GmbH

Website

https://cordenpharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

CordenPharma is a privately-held CDMO providing integrated API and drug product manufacturing for pharmaceutical and biotech companies, specializing in complex modalities including peptides, oligonucleotides, LNPs, sterile injectables, and highly potent oncology compounds across 13 global facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing (CDMO)

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Drug Substance–Drug Product Integrated CDMO (HLAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clinical Trial Material (CTM) Manufacturing & Supply CDMO (HLAGABAK), Small-Molecule API & Intermediates CDMO (HLAGABAA), mRNA/LNP & Nucleic Acid Therapeutics CDMO (HLAGABAF)

Keywords

• Contract pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Peptide API manufacturing
• Sterile injectable fill-finish
• Lipid nanoparticle formulation
• Small molecule API development

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Development & Manufacturing Services: CordenPharma generates revenue through long-term supply contracts and project-based CDMO engagements for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Revenue is derived from peptide API manufacturing, sterile injectable fill-finish, oral solid dosage, lipid excipients, and small molecule APIs. The company reported €960 million in sales in 2025, up 11% at constant exchange rates, supported by long-term manufacturing contracts totaling approximately €3 billion backing the expansion program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CordenPharma is a full-service GMP Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that provides integrated pharmaceutical manufacturing services across six core technology platforms: Peptides, Oligonucleotides, Lipids & LNPs, Injectables, Highly Potent & Oncology, and Small Molecules. The company offers end-to-end services from API development and manufacturing through finished drug products, including oral solid dose, sterile injectable fill-finish, lipid excipients, and LNP formulation, serving pharmaceutical and biotech companies globally.

Product overview

CordenPharma is a full-service GMP Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) providing integrated pharmaceutical manufacturing services across six core technology platforms: Peptides, Oligonucleotides, Lipids & LNPs, Injectables, Highly Potent & Oncology, and Small Molecules. The company's integrated offering spans from API development and manufacturing through finished drug products, supported by proprietary technologies including PepCellerate™ for first-in-human clinical trials and TAPS (Tag-Assisted Peptide Synthesis) for sustainable large-scale peptide production. Services include oral solid dose, sterile injectable manufacturing with aseptic fill-finish, lipid excipients, LNP formulation, and comprehensive supply chain integration. The company operates a global network of 11 facilities (expanding to 13) across Europe and North America, enabling end-to-end supply from development through commercialization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PepCellerate™: First-in-Human (FIH) peptide-injectable clinical trial supply service providing end-to-end support from clinical drug substance manufacturing to finished drug product
• TAPS (Tag-Assisted Peptide Synthesis)
• LNP Starter Kit

Products and services

• Peptides Platform Comprehensive peptide API development and manufacturing services using SPPS, LPPS, hybrid synthesis, TAPS, and advanced purification technologies for pharmaceutical and biotech clients developing peptide therapeutics including GLP-1 agonists.
• Oligonucleotides Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces development timelines by at least 3 months through integrated API and drug product offering, with typical delivery timelines of 9-12 months for fully integrated FIH projects
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Viking TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2025CordenPharma and Viking Therapeutics signed a multi-year strategic partnership for integrated supply of GLP-1 peptide APIs, sterile injectable fill-finish, and oral solid dosage manufacturing for Viking's VK2735 Dual GLP-1/GIP Receptor Agonist drug candidate. CordenPharma provides large-scale peptide manufacturing for the drug substance, fill-finish for subcutaneous formulation, and oral solid dosage manufacturing for oral peptide formulation. The partnership includes built-in redundancy through multiple drug substance sites, with Viking's VK2735 in Phase III trials for obesity. Viking has a $150 million production agreement through 2028 with CordenPharma.
• BioMed RealtyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBioMed Realty, the largest private owner and operator of life science real estate, partnered with CordenPharma Colorado for the lease of 64,000 square feet at Flatiron Park's 5505 Central in Boulder, Colorado. The 15-year full-building lease for a LEED Gold-certified peptide development laboratory enables CordenPharma to expand its peptide process development and analytical services adjacent to its existing large-scale manufacturing facility. BioMed Realty provides purpose-built laboratory infrastructure supporting CordenPharma's strategic growth and capacity expansion.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bachem: Bachem is a Swiss-based CDMO specializing in peptide and oligonucleotide API manufacturing, with both SPPS and LPPS capabilities. It is CordenPharma's most direct competitor in large-scale peptide CDMO, particularly for GLP-1 and complex peptide APIs, and competes head-to-head on capacity and integrated offerings.
• Siegfried Holding: Siegfried is a Swiss-headquartered CDMO offering small molecule APIs and finished drug products including sterile and oral solid dose. It is a directly comparable European CDMO of similar scale competing in similar modalities (small molecules, injectables, highly potent APIs).
• POLYPEPTIDE Group: POLYPEPTIDE Group is a pure-play peptide CDMO with manufacturing in Europe, the US, and India. It is one of the closest comparables to CordenPharma's peptide platform and is investing in similar capacity expansion to serve GLP-1 demand, directly competing for the same customers.
• Recipharm: Recipharm is a European CDMO offering sterile injectables, oral solid dose, and APIs across multiple European sites. Now PE-owned (EQT/CD&R), it is a direct competitor to CordenPharma's drug product and small molecule services in the European mid-size CDMO segment.

Broad incumbents

• Catalent: Catalent (acquired by Novo Holdings) is a major CDMO with strong sterile injectable fill-finish and oral dose capabilities overlapping with CordenPharma's drug product services. Its injectables franchise is a direct competitor to CordenPharma Caponago.
• Eurofins CDMO: Eurofins CDMO (formerly Amatsigroup) provides drug product development, manufacturing, and analytical services including injectables and biopharmaceuticals. It is a European-based competitor overlapping with CordenPharma's injectable and small molecule CDMO services.
• Samsung Biologics: Samsung Biologics is a large biologics CDMO with growing peptide and injectable fill-finish capabilities. While primarily biologics-focused, its expansion into peptides and injectables creates competitive overlap with CordenPharma's drug product services.
• Lonza Group: Lonza is the largest global CDMO offering peptides, small molecules, biologics, and cell & gene therapy services. While broader in scope, Lonza's peptide business directly competes with CordenPharma, and its scale and Biocon-conjugates capability make it a strategic competitor for complex modalities.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Patheon/CDMO services): Thermo Fisher's pharma services division (including legacy Patheon) is a global CDMO offering oral solid dose, sterile injectables, APIs, and biologics. Its scale and integration make it a broad incumbent competing across CordenPharma's service portfolio, particularly in oral solid dose and injectables.

Regional players

• WuXi STA: WuXi STA is the CDMO arm of WuXi AppTec offering peptides, oligonucleotides, small molecules, and biologics. While operating primarily in Asia and facing US BIOSECURE-style scrutiny, it is a major global peptide CDMO competitor and adds Asian capacity pressure to peptide pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOx72HqAROC3EFePAX0OCXQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/corden-pharma-gmbh
• Xx.com/cordenpharma

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CordenPharma