Lonza is expanding HPAPI and payload-linker manufacturing in Visp, enhancing integrated ADC production capabilities to support growing global pharmaceutical demand.
Lonza, a global leader in contract development and manufacturing services (CDMO), has announced a significant investment to expand its highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredient (HPAPI) and payload-linker manufacturing capabilities at its Visp, Switzerland facility. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the company’s established drug-linker center of excellence while enhancing its ability to support the rapidly growing antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) market. By increasing commercial-scale production capacity for complex payload-linkers and HPAPIs, Lonza intends to reinforce its position as one of the industry's leading fully integrated manufacturing partners for ADC therapies.
The pharmaceutical industry has witnessed a surge in demand for antibody-drug conjugates, which combine the precision of monoclonal antibodies with highly potent therapeutic agents to target cancer cells more effectively. As these therapies become increasingly sophisticated, the payload-linkers used in their construction have also grown more complex, requiring advanced synthesis techniques, specialized purification processes, and strict manufacturing controls. This evolving landscape has created a strong need for manufacturing partners capable of handling highly potent compounds while maintaining exceptional quality and regulatory compliance.
To address these industry requirements, Lonza will expand its production capacity within an existing Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility at its Visp site. The project will introduce additional commercial-scale manufacturing infrastructure specifically designed for the production and purification of payload-linkers. Alongside expanded manufacturing operations, the investment will include dedicated analytical laboratories and process development facilities that will support the optimization, testing, and scale-up of increasingly complex molecules. These additions are expected to provide customers with comprehensive development and manufacturing services throughout the product lifecycle.
A key feature of the expansion is the flexibility of the new facility. It has been designed as a multipurpose manufacturing environment capable of producing a broad portfolio of payload-linker molecules. The modular design also allows for future scale-out opportunities, enabling Lonza to add additional manufacturing suites as customer demand continues to rise. This approach ensures that the company can adapt its production capabilities to meet changing market requirements while supporting both small-scale clinical programs and large-scale commercial manufacturing.
The expanded payload-linker capabilities will integrate seamlessly with Lonza’s broader ADC manufacturing ecosystem in Visp. The site already offers extensive expertise in monoclonal antibody manufacturing, conjugation processes, and drug product manufacturing. These capabilities are further complemented by operations in Stein, Switzerland, creating a comprehensive and fully integrated ADC development and manufacturing network. Additionally, the expansion will be supported by enhanced quality control infrastructure specifically designed to manage highly potent payload-linker compounds, ensuring consistent product quality and compliance with stringent regulatory standards.
The new manufacturing capacity is expected to become operational in 2028. Once completed, it will support pharmaceutical companies developing innovative ADC therapies across both clinical development and commercial production stages. By providing integrated services under one network, Lonza aims to simplify development pathways, reduce manufacturing complexity, and help customers accelerate the delivery of novel targeted therapies to global markets.
Christian Seufert, Head of Advanced Synthesis at Lonza, emphasized that the rapidly expanding ADC sector is creating growing demand for increasingly sophisticated payload-linkers that require specialized manufacturing expertise. He noted that the latest investment reflects Lonza’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its integrated ADC capabilities and expanding its support for customers developing next-generation therapeutics. According to Seufert, the enhanced manufacturing infrastructure will enable customers to move more efficiently from early-stage development through commercial production, ultimately helping innovative, targeted treatments reach patients faster.
This strategic expansion underscores Lonza’s long-term commitment to the evolving biopharmaceutical sector. By investing in advanced manufacturing technologies, flexible production infrastructure, and integrated development capabilities, the company is positioning itself to meet future industry demand while supporting pharmaceutical innovators in bringing highly targeted and potentially life-changing ADC therapies to patients worldwide.
