Cambrex’s Snapdragon Chemistry Expands Massachusetts API Facility for Peptide Manufacturing

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The East Rutherford, NJ-based contract development and manufacturing organization, Cambrex, announced on Aug. 25, 2025 that its subsidiary, Snapdragon Chemistry, has expanded its Waltham, Mass. API facility to strengthen its capabilities in peptide development and manufacturing (1).

Footprint increasing, multi-stage support

In a press release, Cambrex explained that the facility’s footprint is being increased by 20% with a new good manufacturing practice (GMP) manufacturing suite that includes an ISO-7 cleanroom for preparative high-performance liquid chromatography and lyophilization, plus cold storage for raw materials, and a product storage suite (1).

Cambrex said that Snapdragon will be able to support peptide projects at stages from development through GMP manufacturing with solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), liquid-phase peptide synthesis (LPPS), or a hybrid approach (1).

“We designed this facility with a three-step strategy in mind for the development of peptide drug candidates,” Eric Fang, PhD, Snapdragon Chemistry general manager, said (1). “We start with automated SPPS technology for proof-of-concept. In parallel, we optimize the process using LPPS synthesized technology to accelerate development and reduce manufacturing cost. We can then transfer the process to our large manufacturing facilities, such as Charles City, Iowa, to produce materials in traditional large-batch reactors, significantly reducing the cost of those drugs.”

LPPS’ advantages vs. SPPS

The LPPS technology, which according to Cambrex materially reduces solvent demand and excess reagent need in comparison to standard SPPS processes, uses traditional API batch reactors and continuous flow—eliminating dependency on specialized solid-phase reactors (1).

“SPPS certainly has its place. We use it in early development to get to the clinic and to proof-of-concept quickly, but it’s not a scalable solution if you want to supply a huge patient population,” said Matt Bio, PhD, Cambrex chief scientific officer (1). “We designed the LPPS process so that we can leverage all 1.4 million liters of capacity within Cambrex to deliver peptide therapies.”

Recent moves by Cambrex

Snapdragon Chemistry was acquired by Cambrex in January 2023, at which time Cambrex said it was hoping to expand a portfolio of specialized solutions in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing by adding Snapdragon’s continuous flow manufacturing expertise (2).

While not under the category of mergers and acquisitions, Cambrex said in December 2024 that it was partnering with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) to provide accelerated access to clinical development capabilities for Lilly's biotech collaborators, namely through Lilly's early external innovation and collaboration arm, Lilly Catalyze360-ExploR&D, where Cambrex planned to share its drug substance, drug product, analytical service labs, and R&D expertise (3).

In March 2024, Noramco launched The Noramco Group as the umbrella term for its namesake API manufacturing business plus fellow subsidiaries Purisys and Halo Pharmaceuticals; Halo Pharma had been the former name of Cambrex Drug Product Business Unit when Noramco acquired it in November 2023 (4).

US investment continuing

Keeping the new and evolving tariff policies of US President Donald Trump’s administration in mind, numerous companies have been expanding their capacities and making investments within the United States in 2025.

Specifically in the areas of APIs and peptides, AstraZeneca announced in July 2025 that it would be investing $50 billion in US manufacturing and R&D facilities by 2030, concentrating on peptides as well as small molecules, oligonucleotides, and the company’s weight management and metabolic portfolio (5). In August 2025, AbbVie said it was investing $195 million into a manufacturing plant in North Chicago, Ill., to expand domestic API production (6).

Pharmaceutical Technology® Group has been tracking the bio/pharmaceutical industry’s response to tariffs and trade policies, including a rundown of the impacts of the 15% cap agreed upon between the US and European Union for pharmaceutical imports.

References

1. Cambrex. Cambrex Expands Peptide Manufacturing Capabilities in Waltham, Massachusetts. Press Release. Aug. 25, 2025.
2. Cambrex. Cambrex Completes Acquisition of Snapdragon Chemistry, a Leader in Continuous Flow API Development Services. Press Release. Jan. 18, 2023.
3. Cambrex. Cambrex Announces Strategic Agreement with Lilly to Support Biotech Collaborator Manufacturing. Press Release. Dec. 5, 2024.
4. Noramco. Noramco Announces the Acquisition of the Cambrex Drug Product Business Unit. Press Release. Nov. 2, 2023.
5. AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca Plans to Invest $50 Billion in America for Medicines Manufacturing and R&D. Press Release. July 21, 2025.
6. AbbVie. AbbVie Announces $195 Million Investment to Expand Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing in the US. Press Release. Aug. 12, 2025.