Novartis has inaugurated its first specialized viral vector production facility in Europe, named VIFA One, located in Mengeš, Slovenia. The USD 42 mn investment enhances the company's research and manufacturing capabilities -particularly in cell and gene therapies, and Novartis will also offer contract manufacturing from the site.

Specialty CDMO, Recipharm, has launched a state-of-the-art modular sterile filling system at its facility in Wasserburg, Germany. Operating within a Grade A isolator, the GMP suite is designed for process development, pilot- and clinical-scale supply projects and will support various container types, including pre-filled syringes and liquid vials, with batch capabilities from 500 to 50,000 units.

Supply chain provider, Frontier Scientific Solutions, has commenced full-scale construction of the state-of-the-art cGMP temperature-controlled facility at Wilmington International Airport (ILM), North Carolina.

Novo Holdings, which acquired Catalent for USD 16.5 bn last year, is considering doubling the size of the CDMO, according to Jonathan Levy, the partner who led the deal. While the acquisition primarily secured three fill/finish sites for Novo Nordisk's weight loss and diabetes drugs, Novo Holdings has yet to clarify its plans for Catalent’s broader network.

Multi-industry manufacturer, Jabil, has completed the acquisition of Pharmaceutics International, Inc. (Pii), a CDMO specializing in aseptic filling, lyophilization, and oral solid dose manufacturing, as the company looks to expand its expertise in parenteral drug delivery which includes GLP-1 treatments and manufacturing services.

API and ADC manufacturer, Axplora, has announced a USD 52 m investment at its site in Mourenx, France, to enhance large-scale API production and chromatography capabilities. Construction is set to begin immediately, with manufacturing output expected to commence in 2026.

Upperton Pharma Solutions has completed a USD 8.6 mn sterile manufacturing facility at its Trent Gateway site in Nottingham, UK. Built to meet the latest EU GMP Annex-1 regulations, the 7,000 sq. ft (650 m2) facility supports aseptic and terminally sterilized small-volume liquids and powders for parenteral, nasal, and pulmonary delivery, handling batch capacities of up to 2,000 vials, syringes, and cartridges.

CDMO, Samsung Biologics, has announced plans to construct a sixth manufacturing plant at its Bio Campus in Songdo, South Korea. Pending board approval, the expansion would increase the company's total production capacity to 964,000 liters by 2027. In addition, the company aims to establish a regional office in Tokyo, Japan by year-end to better serve its growing client base in one of the leading global markets.

Governor Shapiro and Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary, Rick Siger, recently visited one of Adare Pharma Solutions’ facilities in Philadelphia to celebrate the company’s success and highlight the State’s commitment to economic growth.

Israeli biopharmaceutical company Scinai Immunotherapeutics has launched a U.S.-based CDMO subsidiary, Scinai Bioservices Inc., in Delaware, following the launch of its CDMO unit at the company's HQ in Jerusalem, Israel last year. CEO Amir Reichman announced the company’s first U.S. contract with Serpin Pharma for clinical manufacturing and expressed optimism about the growth potential of their U.S. presence.

South Korean Biopharma, Celltrion Group, is bolstering its CDMO services with a new research center in India which will operated by the newly established subsidiary Celltrion BioSolutions. With an initial capital of USD 6.9 mn, the manufacturing capacity will start at 100,000 liters to serve Celltrion's internal needs, with potential expansion to 200,000 liters. The company aims to recruit or internally train 500 Ph.D.-level scientists to support its sites in Korea, the U.S., Europe, and India.

French biotech, Samabriva, has unveiled a significant expansion with a new 1,400-square-meter biomanufacturing facility located in Liege, Belgium, to aid the transition from research and development to industrial-scale production. The state-of-the-art facility is equipped with proprietary bioreactors specifically designed for hairy root culture, enabling the production of natural molecules for pharmaceutical applications.

India-based CDMO, OneSource Specialty Pharma, is expanding its capacity to manufacture GLP-1 drug-device combinations, driven by growing global demand for diabetes and obesity treatments. The company, which specializes in drug-device combinations, including cartridge filling, assembly, and fill-finish, recently raised funding through equity issuance to fund this expansion.

Florida biotech, Dyadic International, has secured a USD 3 mn grant from the Gates Foundation to develop affordable monoclonal antibodies for RSV and malaria, using its C1 protein production platform to address the limited access to mAb treatments in low- and middle-income countries.

Roche Holdings, Inc. has agreed to acquire Poseida Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in allogeneic cell therapies and genetic medicines, integrating the company into Roche's Pharmaceuticals Division, and enhancing their capabilities in allogeneic cell therapy.

The acquisition brings Poseida's innovative pipeline which includes a proprietary non-viral technology platform, which enables the development of allogeneic, T stem cell memory (T SCM)-rich CAR-T therapies, which include hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and autoimmune diseases.

Pharmaceutical CDMO, Hovione, has unveiled a multi-million expansion of its manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland, which will double the company’s existing spray drying capacity, and reinforce its position as a global leader in spray drying technology for pharmaceutical applications, such as inhalable therapies and oral medications.

Biotech startup, Metsera, has secured USD 215 mn in a Series B funding round which the company will use to continue developing its portfolio of obesity treatments, including long-acting GLP-1 drug, MET-097i, injectable amylin analog, MET-233i, and oral GLP-1 peptide, MET-002, with plans to explore combination therapies.

AstraZeneca has announced a USD 3.5 bn investment to enhance its biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. by 2026, creating over 1,000 high-skilled jobs whilst targeting growth within the U.S. biopharmaceutical sector.

Eurofins CDMO Alphora Inc. has announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art GMP biologics facility in Mississauga, Ontario. Scheduled for completion in April 2026, the 50,000-square-foot facility will be part of a new 112,000-square-foot building on Eurofins CDMO Alphora's 14-acre campus within the Sheridan Research Park.

SEKISUI Diagnostics' microbial CDMO business - BioProduction by SEKISUI - has announced it has completed its USD 20.7 mn cGMP capacity expansion for clinical-grade drug substance manufacturing at its site in Kent, UK. Upon license approval, the company will be able to expand manufacturing capabilities for common drug types, with microbial fermentation and purification suites that will accommodate production scales up to 1,000L.