Cambrex to Invest $50 Million to Expand Multipurpose Large-Scale Manufacturing Capabilities in the US

Cambrex recently announced it is expanding its mid-scale and large-scale API manufacturing capacity in Charles City, Iowa. The $50+ million investment is designed to meet the continually growing demand for small molecule drug substance development and manufacturing. It will be the sixth major investment that Cambrex has made at the site in the past eight years to support customers in mid-scale, large-scale and highly potent small molecule API manufacturing.

The expansion, which will be operational in early 2022, will add three large-scale manufacturing work centers and 1 mid-scale work center to the facility in Iowa, increasing the site’s capacity by 30%. When completed, the Charles City site will employ more than 400 people.

“Small molecule manufacturing demand has been growing consistently over recent years, and this investment will enable Cambrex to continue to capitalize on this growth, further strengthening our position as a market-leading CDMO,” commented Joe Nettleton, President of Cambrex’s Drug Substance Business Unit. “This expansion in the US for API manufacturing capacity comes at a time when our customers increasingly require high-quality partners to ensure reliable supply chains within the pharmaceutical sector.”

Cambrex’s Charles City facility is located on a 45-acre site, and as part of the company’s Drug Substance business unit, manufactures a wide range of APIs and pharmaceutical intermediates, including highly potent molecules and controlled substances.

In 2019, Cambrex was acquired by funds advised by Permira, a global investment firm, to continue to build upon Cambrex’s market leading position in API development and manufacturing and support the growth of its integrated service offering across the pharmaceutical value chain.

Cambrex is the leading small molecule company that provides drug substance, drug product, and analytical services across the entire drug lifecycle. The company provides customers with an end-to-end partnership for the research, development, and manufacture of small molecule therapeutics. With over 35 years of experience and a growing team of over 2,100 experts servicing global clients from sites in North America and Europe, Cambrex is a trusted partner in branded and generic markets for API and dosage form development and manufacturing.

Cambrex offers a range of specialist drug substance technologies and capabilities, including biocatalysis, continuous flow, controlled substances, solid state science, material characterization, and highly potent APIs. In addition, Cambrex can support conventional dosage forms, including oral solids, semi-solids, and liquids, and has the expertise to manufacture specialist dosage forms such as modified-release, fixed-dose combination, pediatric, bi-layer tablets, stick packs, topicals, controlled substances, sterile and non-sterile ointments.

Permira is a global investment firm. Founded in 1985, the firm advises funds with a total committed capital of approximately US$50bn (€44bn) and makes long-term investments, including majority control investments as well as strategic minority investments, in companies with the objective of transforming their performance and driving sustainable growth. The Permira funds have made over 250 private equity investments in four key sectors: Technology, Consumer, Services, and Healthcare. Permira employs over 250 people in 14 offices across Europe, North America, and Asia. For more information, visit www.cambrex.com.