Rentschler’s Time Capsule and How it Symbolizes European Biotech Progress

Rentschler Biopharma is marking the largest investment made in its history, construction of its buffer media station at its Laupheim, Germany headquarters, with the dedication of a time capsule representing the company’s commitment to scientific and technological advancements (1). In a press release on Oct. 13, 2025, Rentschler Biopharma said its investment signified an “important contribution to strengthening the competitiveness” of not only the company itself, but also the German and European biotechnology sectors at large.

The buffer media station, which Rentschler Biopharma said was scheduled to become fully operational by 2028, will be state-of-the-art, housed in a purpose-built, four-story building with a total area of 3400 square meters (36,600 square feet) (1). Production of buffer and media solutions will be supported by three media tanks and six buffer tanks, with the station connected to an in-house logistics system and piping systems for upstream and downstream processing.

Are other European companies making investments?

A select few other partnerships and expansions have taken shape across Europe in recent months. In August 2025, France-based SGD Pharma announced it had entered into an agreement with Entangled Capital, an Italian private equity firm, to acquire Alphial, an Italy-based manufacturer of tubular vials, ampoules, and ready-to-use glass products (2). Alphial, which had employed more than 220 people across four manufacturing sites in Italy, was expected to add production depth to SGD Pharma’s existing capabilities.

In September 2025, Integra Therapeutics of Spain closed a €10.7 million (US$12.4 million) pre-Series A investment round to accelerate technical development of its find and cut-and-transfer gene writing platform, with the company saying it would apply the technology to preclinical validation of next-generation chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies (3). The financing was supported by new investors, including the European Innovation Council Fund and Spain’s CDTI Innvierte program.

What else has Rentschler Biopharma done in 2025?

Rentschler Biopharma began 2025 by saying, in late January, that it would be ceasing its operations in the cell and gene therapy field, closing a site in Stevenage, United Kingdom (4). This realignment, according to a press release at the time, was designed to allow for the company’s increased focus on biologics.

On Oct. 6, 2025, Rentschler Biopharma said it would be expanding its services in Japan and South Korea to provide flexible, optimized solutions for the development and manufacturing of biologics for clients in that global region; namely, introducing the Rentschler Expression Platform, for accelerated timelines in cell line development, and Rentschler Development Services, for best-fit solutions (5).

As part of the Oct. 6 announcement, Rentschler Biopharma said it would be attending the BioProcess International Asia conference, to be held in Kyoto, Japan from Oct. 20–22, 2025 (5). This event precedes CPHI Frankfurt 2025, scheduled for Oct. 28–30, 2025, at which Rentschler Biopharma COO Christiane Bardroff is among six nominees for “Woman of the Year” at the annual CPHI Pharma Awards (6).

Winners will be announced at the opening ceremony of CPHI Frankfurt 2025, on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Click here for all of our CPHI coverage.

References

1. Rentschler Biopharma. Together We Build: Rentschler Biopharma Celebrates Construction Progress of Largest Single Investment at Laupheim Site. Press Release. Oct. 13, 2025.
2. Mirasol, F. SGD Pharma to Acquire Alphial Tubular Glass Manufacturer. BioPharmInternational.com, Aug. 29, 2025.
3. Mirasol, F. €10.7 Million Investment Accelerates Gene Writing and CAR-T Preclinical Development. BioPharmInternational.com, Sept. 8, 2025.
4. Rentschler Biopharma. Rentschler Biopharma Announces Strategic Realignment of its Global Business Operations. Press Release. Jan. 30, 2025.
5. Rentschler Biopharma. Rentschler Biopharma Further Expands Its Services in Japan and South Korea and Will Attend BioProcess International Asia. Press Release. Oct. 6, 2025.
6. Mirasol, F. CPHI Frankfurt Reveals 2025 Pharma Awards Finalists for Bio/Pharma Development. PharmTech.com, Sept. 18, 2025.