Lonza to Buy Novartis Drug Filling Plant in Switzerland

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology firm Lonza is expanding its parenteral drug development and testing capabilities for clinical production and commercial launches with the acquisition of a sterile drug fill and finish facility in Stein, Switzerland from Novartis. On Monday, Lonza announced it has entered into a binding contract to acquire the site.

“The intended acquisition of the sterile drug product fill and finish facility in Stein will be the latest phase in our step-wise expansion of parenteral drug product services,” said Karen Fallen, head of mammalian and microbial development and manufacturing at Lonza Pharma & Biotech, in a company press release. “Combined with our development services, this manufacturing facility will provide our customers with shorter timelines to the clinic and best-in-class quality for parenteral product development through commercialization.”

Running since 2009, Novartis’ cGMP-approved facility in Stein is capable of producing liquid and lyophilized dosage forms in up to 200L bulk volumes for commercial supply and launches of new drug products. Employees at the site are slated to join Lonza if the transaction is successfully completed. 

Novartis employees at the site are slated to remain in place following the transaction. Lonza’s Drug Product Services (DPS) will operate the facility, where the company will continue to produce products for Novartis, as well as increase capacity for work with other clients. 

“Upon closing, the new manufacturing facility in Stein will be our first sterile drug product fill and finish facility and will work in close synergy with our existing facility in the Stücki Park in Basel,” said Hanns-Christian Mahler, head of Drug Product Services at Lonza Pharma & Biotech, in a statement. “We will continue to provide best-in-class development and commercialization options for our customers, using our scientific approach together with our regulatory and industrial experience and to deliver with the highest quality for parenteral product development through commercialization.”

Lonza said it expects to close the transaction within the next few months. 

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