excella gmbh & co.

What excella gmbh & co. does

Excella GmbH & Co. KG is a pharmaceutical contract manufacturer (CMO) headquartered in Feucht, Germany, operating from a single ~60,000 sqm site near Nuremberg. Founded in 1983 and a wholly-owned subsidiary of France's FAREVA Group since 2008, the company specializes in highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and finished dosage forms (tablets, capsules, film-coated tablets) at OEB 4 to OEB 6 containment levels, serving oncology and immunosuppressive therapy markets. Manufacturing capabilities span 100 g to 20-ton batch sizes across 250L, 800L, and 4000L multi-purpose reactors, supported by a GMP kilo laboratory (newly cGMP-certified in April 2025 at OEB 6), in-house quality control releasing approximately 4,900 batches and 7,000+ samples per year, and serialization/aggregation-enabled packaging for global markets.

The company operates a pure contract manufacturing model with no proprietary brands, explicitly positioning itself as a partner rather than a competitor to its pharmaceutical customers. Its customer base spans Big Five and top-10 pharmaceutical companies, mid-sized firms, startups, and virtual companies, with regulatory approvals from the FDA, EU, ANVISA, Korean MFDS, EAEU/Russia, and Turkey MoH supporting commercial supply to 100+ countries. Excella maintains a portfolio of approximately 30 generic APIs alongside custom contract services, and emphasizes long-tenured technical staff, 900+ qualified reference standards, and continuous international health authority inspections as the basis of its regulatory and operational moat. Pricing is quote-based with no public disclosure, and revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

excella gmbh & co.

Legal name

Excella GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://excella.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Excella GmbH & Co. KG is a Feucht, Germany-based pharmaceutical contract manufacturer specializing in highly potent APIs and finished dosage forms (OEB 4-6) for oncology and immunosuppression, serving Big Pharma, mid-sized firms, and virtual companies across 100+ countries as a FAREVA Group subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing

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

Small-Molecule API & Intermediates CDMO (HLAGABAA), Small-Molecule Drug Product (Solid/Oral/Parenteral) CDMO (HLAGABAB), Clinical Trial Material (CTM) Manufacturing & Supply CDMO (HLAGABAK), Small-Molecule CMC Documentation & Regulatory Support (DMF/CMC) (HLAGAHAM), GMP Scale-Up, Tech Transfer & Process Validation (PPQ) (HLAGAHAL), Contract Development & Manufacturing for Generics (CDMO/CMO) (HLAIABAI)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical contract manufacturing
• Active pharmaceutical ingredients
• High containment manufacturing
• Finished dosage forms
• Highly potent API production

Headquarters

HQ city

Feucht

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing Services: Full-service contract manufacturing for pharmaceutical APIs and finished dosage forms. Services include development, scale-up, technology transfer, commercial production, and packaging. No own brand products - pure contract manufacturing model.
2. Generic API Portfolio: Portfolio of approximately 30 active pharmaceutical ingredients for the generic market, offered alongside contract manufacturing services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Excella GmbH & Co. KG is a pure pharmaceutical contract manufacturer (CDMO) that develops and manufactures highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) at OEB 4 to OEB 6 containment levels and finished dosage forms (tablets, capsules, film-coated tablets) for cancer treatment and immunosuppressive therapies. Operating from a single ~60,000 sqm site in Feucht, Germany, the company provides a one-stop-shop service spanning from API synthesis (100 g to 20 tons) through a GMP kilo laboratory, commercial production, and serialization packaging for over 100 countries. Excella holds no own-brand products and serves purely as a contract manufacturing partner to pharmaceutical customers.

Product overview

Excella GmbH & Co. KG is a contract pharmaceutical manufacturer offering an integrated 'One Stop Shop' for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and finished dosage forms. The company specializes in high containment manufacturing at OEB 4 to OEB 6 levels for cancer treatment and immunosuppressive therapies. The core product portfolio includes API development and production (covering synthesis from 100g to 20 tons), a GMP-certified Kilo Laboratory for early-phase production, finished dosage form manufacturing (tablets, capsules, film-coated tablets), packaging services with serialization capabilities, and quality control services. The company also maintains a portfolio of approximately 30 generic APIs. All services are provided from a single site in Feucht, Germany, spanning from early clinical development through commercial production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Development and Production Development and manufacturing of highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) at OEB 4 to OEB 6 levels. Covers synthesis of over 100 organic reaction types including multi-step syntheses up to 12 steps, using 250L and 800L reactors for OEB 6 work and 4,000L reactors for OEB 4 large-scale production, with batch sizes ranging from 100 g to 20 tons. Targeted at pharmaceutical companies needing high-containment API supply.
• Finished Dosage Forms (Tablets, Capsules, Film-coated Tablets) Development and manufacturing of tablets, capsules, and film-coated tablets in the high containment range (OEB 4-6) from clinical phase II through commercial production. Includes direct tableting, compacting, dry granulation, wet granulation with fluidized bed drying, fluidized bed granulation, film coating, and encapsulation capabilities using DoE, QbD, and PAT methodologies. Serves pharmaceutical customers commercializing products in over 100 countries.
• GMP Kilo Laboratory High containment GMP-certified kilo laboratory for small-scale API production at OEB 6 containment level with batch sizes of 0.5-2 kg API. Enables straightforward scale-up from laboratory to commercial production. Targeted at pharmaceutical companies needing early clinical-phase API supply with OEB 6 containment.
• Packaging Services Packaging of sensitive and highly potent products in blister packs and bottles, including serialization for all major markets (EU, US, Russia, Brazil, China) with aggregation capabilities. Serves pharmaceutical customers needing compliant packaging of high-containment solid dosage forms.
• Quality Control Services Comprehensive quality control for APIs and finished pharmaceutical products including stability testing per ICH guidelines, analytical method transfer, and batch release using over 30 HPLC/UPLC/GC-FID/MS systems. Supports both API and finished product manufacturing customers.
• Generic API Portfolio Portfolio of approximately 30 active pharmaceutical ingredients offered for the generic market, supplied alongside contract manufacturing services. Targeted at generic pharmaceutical companies seeking off-the-shelf API supply.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,900 batches approved per year with over 7,000 samples tested
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• SafebridgeminorOthersExternal evaluation partner providing outside perspective on occupational safety and quality systems for highly potent API handling
• IntechnicaminorOthersExternal evaluation partner providing independent assessment of processes and quality systems

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carbogen Amcis: Carbogen Amcis is a Swiss-headquartered CDMO specializing in highly potent APIs and intermediates for oncology. Comparable to Excella in OEB-grade high-potency manufacturing, integrated process development, and pharmaceutical customer base.
• CordenPharma: CordenPharma is a European CDMO offering integrated API and finished dosage form manufacturing, including highly potent compounds, across multiple sites. Comparable to Excella in customer base (Big Pharma), regulatory positioning, and integrated small-molecule CDMO model.
• Aenova Group: Aenova is a German-headquartered pharmaceutical CDMO offering solid dosage form development and manufacturing. Comparable to Excella in geographic footprint, customer base, and finished dosage form CDMO focus.
• Helsinn Advanced Synthesis: Helsinn Advanced Synthesis is a Swiss HP-API CDMO serving oncology and niche therapeutic areas. Comparable to Excella in high-containment small-molecule API focus and oncology customer specialization.
• Siegfried Holding: Siegfried is a Swiss-listed CDMO offering API and finished drug product manufacturing for the pharmaceutical industry. Comparable to Excella in integrated small-molecule CDMO model and global Big Pharma customer base, though at significantly larger scale.
• Piramal Pharma Solutions: Piramal Pharma Solutions is a global CDMO with strong HP-API capabilities (including acquisitions like Ash Stevens). Comparable to Excella in highly potent API development and manufacturing for oncology and related therapeutic areas.
• Cambrex: Cambrex is a US-based small-molecule API CDMO serving innovator and generic pharma customers. Comparable to Excella in API development, scale-up, and commercial manufacturing for global pharmaceutical companies.
• Johnson Matthey Health (now part of Synthomer / divested API business): Johnson Matthey's Fine Chemicals division was a long-established HP-API and intermediates CDMO comparable to Excella in high-containment small-molecule API manufacturing and pharma customer base. Now partly divested/reorganized but historically a direct comparator.

Broad incumbents

• Lonza: Lonza is the world's largest pharmaceutical CDMO offering APIs, biologics, and cell & gene services across many sites. Comparable to Excella in API CDMO capabilities, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio as an established global incumbent.

Others

• FAREVA (other group sites): FAREVA Group operates 41 production sites across 13 countries covering pharma, cosmetics, and specialty manufacturing. Comparable to Excella as sister operations under the same parent, providing potential cross-referral and capacity-replacement dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/excella-pharma-source

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 excella gmbh & co.