PolyPeptide Group is one of the world’s largest independent contract manufacturers of therapeutic peptides. The acquisition of Lonza’s peptides business and operations in Braine-l’Alleud, Belgium, has given them access to additional large-scale capacity.
The strategic objective behind the Lonza acquisition, which was announced in December 2016, was a need for PolyPeptide to increase their production capacity in order to scale up big commercial manufacturing projects. Having investigated several alternatives, including expanding existing facilities, the acquisition of the Braine-l’Alleud facility, with approx. 280 employees, was considered the best option.
The Braine-l’Alleud facility was the centre for peptide chemical development and manufacturing within the Lonza Group and through the acquisition PolyPeptide got immediate access to additional large-scale capacity in synthesis, purification and isolation of pharmaceutical peptides. At the same time, PolyPeptide’s large portfolio of late-stage products brings the Braine-l’Alleud facility new opportunities for growth and expansion.
”By combining the huge pipeline and global footprint of the PolyPeptide Group with the additional competencies and large-scale capacity of Lonza Braine, we can provide even greater value to our global base of customers, who benefit by getting access to very experienced personnel in commercial manufacturing at all levels and at all scales. It’s a perfect match and together we’ll build on our strengths to solidify our position as the global leader in peptide manufacturing and technology,” says CEO of PolyPeptide Group, Jane Salik, Ph.D.
The integration of the companies has worked exceptionally well for all groups involved.
”Our respective teams have already collaborated on a couple of late stage projects, which is exactly what we hoped for. So, we’re already recognising the value of this acquisition,” she comments.
Endless Possibilities
Many pharma and biotech companies are entering the peptide therapeutics market, not least in Scandinavia, and Jane Salik estimates that the market will continue to grow for at least another 5-10 years. PolyPeptide is one of world’s largest independent contract manufacturers of therapeutic peptides and stands firm in the competition.
”We’re unique in our ability to handle the complicated processes involved in manufacturing complex peptides on a large scale, and we bring a very high technological level to any project. Our technical competence and high quality, both from a regulatory and production standpoint, give us an edge over newcomers,” Jane Salik confirms.
More recently, one of the very important therapeutic applications for pharmaceutical peptides has been for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. However, the therapeutic role of peptides extends to all areas of health care, and they’re now used for a wide range of indications, including different rare diseases, as well as in cancer vaccines.
”Recent R&D breakthroughs cover extension of the in vivo half-life of peptides, progress in oral delivery of peptides and the use of cell penetrating peptides. A wide range of peptides or proteins can be attached to cell penetrating peptides, offering new therapeutic targets. Today, the possibilities of peptides are endless and new applications in the biomedical field give hope for treating conditions that seemed undruggable in the past,” says Jane Salik.
40 Years of Experience
The PolyPeptide Group was founded in Malmo Sweden and Hillerød, Denmark in 1996. But their deep knowledge, broad expertise and high technological level of peptide R&D and manufacturing actually stretches back to 1952 with the start of commercial therapeutic peptide manufacture in Malmö, Sweden, where the company is headquartered.
The site in Denmark is consolidated to the Swedish site for large scale projects and requirements, to which the Braine-l’Alleud is now added. PolyPeptide also has sites in Strasbourg, San Diego, Torrance and Maharashtra, near Mumbai in India. The Group manufactures over one third of all approved peptide drug substances and accounts for over 25% of the sales of outsourced peptide therapeutics worldwide.
”We have a global reach and facilitate R&D, manufacture, service and support to all major pharmaceutical peptide markets. Again, I would like to stress that our edge is firmly based in our GMP quality and product quality. We’ve been manufacturing according to GMP guidelines for over 40 years and we have drug master files and approved products compliant with the regulations for markets all over the world,” Jane Salik concludes.
