Novasep said the project is in response to strong and increasing demand for clinical and commercial production capacity from both long-standing collaborations with major drugmakers, as well as new partnerships with biotech firms. In particular, the company cited rising demand for manufacturing services for antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) for treating cancer.

"We are pleased to continue our development in strategic markets such as HPAPIs and ADCs, and to participate in the fight against cancer for the benefit of patients,” said Novasep’s chairman and CEO Michel Spagnol.

The project follows another investment in France that the company announced last November, when it said it would spend €6.5 million to expand capacity of an API manufacturing workshop in Chasse-sur-Rhône. The revamp will include the installation of two synthesis reactors to increase flexibility and capacity for low- to medium-volume APIs. It is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2021.

In 2018 at Chasse-sur-Rhône, Novasep added a cryogenic Hastelloy reactor, a Hastelloy filter dryer, a third clean room, as well as extending the analytical laboratories and installing additional equipment in order to meet rising customer demand for API services.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist