LYOCONTRACT and Syntegon Break Ground on Freeze-Drying Facility in Germany
The German contract manufacturer is expanding its lyophilization capacity with a complete production line from equipment supplier Syntegon, as demand for sterile freeze-dried pharmaceuticals continues to grow across the sector.
Sterile pharmaceutical contract manufacturer, LYOCONTRACT, has announced a EUR 50 million production expansion at its facility in Ilsenburg, Germany. The investment will provide a complete vial line for filling and lyophilization, supplied entirely by Stuttgart-based equipment group Syntegon, with delivery scheduled for summer 2027 (1).
The new line will comprise a filling and closing machine with an integrated isolator, a loading and unloading system, and a freeze-dryer. It has been designed to meet EU GMP Annex 1 requirements from the outset, accommodate multiple product types and container sizes, and maintain high uptime. The updated Annex 1 guidance, which came into force, for the most part, in August 2023, introduced tighter requirements for sterile manufacturing environments and set more prescriptive standards around contamination control, including the use of isolator technology (2).
“With the groundbreaking ceremony, we are paving the way for further growth,” said Dr. Tino Galgon, Managing Director of LYOCONTRACT, in a company press release (1). “Our goal is to establish LYOCONTRACT as a leading contract manufacturer for sterile freeze-dried products of the highest quality. With such an ambitious project, it is essential to have the right partners at our side. Syntegon will provide us with the complete line and handle the entire project from a single source.”
Syntegon's involvement in the project reflects a broader strategic shift at the company following its acquisition of Spanish freeze-drying specialist Telstar (3). Syntegon announced the acquisition of Azbil Telstar — then part of Japan's Azbil Corporation — with freeze-dryers and loading and unloading systems identified as the most important portfolio additions, complementing Syntegon's existing vial filling and isolator solutions.
“Since merging the Syntegon and Telstar portfolios in October 2024, we have significantly expanded our offering and can now provide our customers with comprehensive lines with fewer interfaces and a single point of contact throughout the entire lifecycle of the line,” added Dr. Matthias Wagner, Managing Director of Syntegon Telstar, in the press release about the groundbreaking ceremony (1). “We are very proud that LYOCONTRACT has placed its trust in us and look forward to this partnership.”
LYOCONTRACT’s expansion builds on a manufacturing base that already covers the full value chain for parenteral drugs in vials — from formulation development and aseptic filling through lyophilization, analytical quality control, and GMP-compliant packaging — and a client portfolio that spans Germany and international markets. It also comes at a moment of significant commercial opportunity. The lyophilization services market for biopharmaceuticals that is forecast to reach USD 3.17 billion by 2035, driven by the rapid growth of monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and cell and gene therapies, more than 60% of which require freeze-drying to maintain efficacy during storage and distribution (4).
References
Syntegon. Syntegon and Lyocontract: Growing Together. Press release, Mar. 16, 2026.
European Commission. Annex 1: Manufacture of Sterile Medicinal Products. EudraLex Volume 4, Aug. 22, 2022.
Syntegon. Set for Further Growth: Syntegon Announces Acquisition of Telstar. Press release, June. 7, 2026.
Insight Ace Analytic. Lyophilization Services for Biopharmaceuticals Market Size, Share, Trend, Revenue Report 2026 to 2035. Market Research Report, Feb. 6, 2025.