Axplora recently announced a multi-million-euro investment to  expand lyophilization capabilities at its Le Mans site, strengthening its  ability to deliver reliable, efficient and fast ADC manufacturing for biotech and  pharmaceutical customers. Axplora also announced the appointment of  François Houbart as Head of Site, Le Mans, effective January 19, 2026.

The investment directly responds to customer demand for greater control, speed and  predictability in ADC development and supply. By adding on-site commercial lyophilization  from early 2027 to the R&D capabilities already in place, Axplora will offer integrated  manufacturing solutions for the isolation and handling of complex payload and linker  intermediates, particularly where stability and safe handling are critical.

The expansion further strengthens Le Mans’ position as a leading ADC manufacturing site,  complementing its established payload, linker and drug substance capabilities. With more  than 20 years of ADC expertise, Axplora has supported dozens of biotech and  pharmaceutical companies across the US, Europe and Japan and plays an integral role in  the supply chain for six FDA-approved ADCs. The site brings deep experience across both  established and emerging payload classes, including tecans, auristatins, maytansines and  PBDs (pyrrolobenzodiazepines).

With more than 600 ADCs currently in development and clinical timelines accelerating,  companies are under increasing pressure to move faster while managing  technical, regulatory and supply-chain risk. Axplora’s continued investment in Le Mans is  designed to meet this challenge, aligning capacity, capabilities and operational readiness  with customer needs for scalable, dependable ADC manufacturing.

The expansion forms part of Axplora’s continued multi-year €30m investment program  at Le Mans, building on recent payload and capacity expansions to support the rapid  growth of ADC pipelines globally. It also forms part of Axplora’s broader commitment to  invest ahead of customer demand, including more than €100 million invested across the  Group in 2025. The new lyophilization capabilities are expected to come online in 2027.

Alongside this expansion, François Houbart has been appointed Head of Site, Le Mans. François brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in CDMO drug substance and  drug product manufacturing, including senior roles in ADC operations. He is widely  recognized for driving performance across quality, safety and operational excellence in  highly regulated environments.

“ADC programs are racing against the clock, and our customers need partners they can rely  on to deliver with speed, efficiency and consistency,” said Martin Meeson, Chief Executive  Officer at Axplora. “This investment strengthens our ability to reduce complexity and risk  for customers while supporting the rapid progression of complex ADC programs. François’s  leadership will be instrumental as Le Mans continues to scale.”

Commenting on his appointment, François Houbart said “Our customers depend on us for  reliability and execution. My focus is on strengthening operational  excellence, maintaining uncompromising quality, and ensuring the Le Mans site  consistently delivers for both clinical and commercial ADC programs.” François succeeds  Rachel De Luca, who will move into the newly created role of Head of Safety, Health and  Environment (SHE) for Axplora’s CDMO Business Unit.

Axplora is a trusted manufacturing partner to over 900 of the world’s leading  pharmaceutical and biotech companies, formed from the integration of PharmaZell,  Farmabios, and Novasep CDMO — three industry leaders with decades of experience in  pharmaceutical manufacturing. Axplora delivers high-quality, reliable, and sustainable  solutions across the pharmaceutical value chain.

With deep capabilities in complex chemistry and industrial manufacturing combined with  an agile, explorer’s mindset, Axplora supports pharmaceutical and biotech companies in  developing and producing life-changing therapies. PharmaZell and Farmabios are  renowned for their expertise in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), highly potent  compounds, and regulatory excellence, while Novasep CDMO is a leader in small molecule  and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) manufacturing while being a pioneer in purification  technologies.

Axplora operates 9 API manufacturing sites across Europe and India, providing multi-site  capacity to partners worldwide.  For more information, visit www.axplora.com.