AsymBio, the biologics-focused Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) under the Asymchem Group (stock codes: 002821.SZ / 6821.HK), has announced the groundbreaking of a new research and development facility at its Fengxian campus in Shanghai. This expansion represents a major milestone in enhancing the company's biologics CDMO capabilities while further establishing the Fengxian site as a key center for research, development, and manufacturing.

Construction commenced in May 2026, with completion and operational launch planned for the second half of 2027. The eight-story building will occupy approximately 2,500 square meters of land and offer nearly 20,000 square meters of total floor space. Designed in accordance with green and low-carbon building principles, the facility will house capabilities for cell line development, upstream and downstream process development, conjugation process development, drug product development, and advanced analytical services.

Situated alongside AsymBio's existing clinical and commercial manufacturing facilities for antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) at the Fengxian campus, the new R&D center will serve as a dedicated innovation hub. Its close integration with manufacturing operations is expected to improve technology transfer, facilitate efficient scale-up, and accelerate the transition from development to commercial production.

The facility will also host the AccPCC (Accelerated PCC Platform), an integrated research and development framework designed to reduce the time required to advance drug candidates from lead identification to preclinical candidate (PCC) selection. Leveraging AI-enabled, end-to-end workflows, the platform brings together early-stage research, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), nonclinical evaluation, and early clinical translation. It offers comprehensive support in lead optimization, developability assessment, and customized early-stage CMC strategies for biotechnology companies worldwide.

Commenting on the initiative, AsymBio CEO Rui Yang emphasized that successful biologics development depends on early collaboration, integrated scientific and CMC decision-making, and consideration of manufacturability from the beginning of a project. By utilizing the combined R&D expertise available across the Asymchem Group, the AccPCC platform aims to enhance development efficiency, accelerate preclinical candidate selection, and shorten the journey from scientific discovery to clinical application.

The new Fengxian R&D building is expected to strengthen collaboration between research, process scale-up, and manufacturing, enabling clients to minimize development bottlenecks and manage complex biologics programs with greater efficiency and confidence.

The acquisition will enhance CordenPharma’s existing peptide platform by adding AmbioPharm’s specialized expertise and facilities in South Carolina, U.S., and Shanghai, China. Together, the combined operations will provide a broader range of peptide manufacturing technologies, including Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS), Liquid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS), hybrid synthesis methods, and CordenPharma’s proprietary Tag-Assisted Peptide Synthesis (TAPS). This expanded capability is expected to offer customers greater flexibility for producing complex, long-chain, and high-purity peptide APIs.

AmbioPharm employs around 400 people across its two manufacturing locations. The deal will further extend CordenPharma’s network, which currently includes 11 facilities across Europe and North America, while also increasing its peptide production footprint in the United States and China.

The acquisition of AmbioPharm’s North Augusta, South Carolina facility will significantly increase CordenPharma’s purification and lyophilization capacity for peptide APIs. Combined with operations in Colorado, the company will now be able to provide fully U.S.-based peptide API manufacturing solutions for large-scale commercial projects.

Meanwhile, AmbioPharm’s advanced Shanghai facility will support global clinical and commercial peptide supply through expanded upstream manufacturing capacity across SPPS, LPPS, and hybrid synthesis technologies, along with selected downstream services.

Following the integration of the South Carolina and Shanghai sites, CordenPharma’s peptide operations will span three continents, enabling end-to-end peptide development and manufacturing support worldwide.

Since being acquired by Astorg in 2022, CordenPharma has continued investing in its peptide manufacturing platform and global expansion efforts. As part of the agreement, AmbioPharm shareholders will reinvest in the merged business, signaling confidence in the future growth of the expanded peptide platform. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, and the deal remains subject to standard closing conditions.

Dr. Michael Quirmbach, President and CEO of CordenPharma Group, said the acquisition strengthens the company’s strategic position as a leading peptide manufacturing partner, particularly as peptide development projects become increasingly complex and require scalable global manufacturing solutions.

AmbioPharm CEO Brian Gregg described the merger as a major milestone for the company, noting that customers will benefit from enhanced technical expertise, broader manufacturing capacity, and a more integrated global peptide production network.

Astorg Director Antoine Thomas stated that the transaction represents an important step in CordenPharma’s long-term growth strategy within the rapidly expanding peptide sector. CordenPharma Chairman Paul Perreault also emphasized the growing importance of peptide-based medicines and the company’s commitment to supporting partners in delivering these therapies to patients worldwide.

The Carlyle Group, which previously invested in AmbioPharm, expressed confidence in the future of the combined business and the continued growth potential of the global peptide CDMO market.

BNP Paribas served as the exclusive financial advisor to AmbioPharm for the transaction.