Samsung Biologics Secures 97.66% of PolyPeptide Shares in Tender Offer

Samsung Biologics announced on November 2, 2026, that 97.66% of PolyPeptide Group's issued share capital and voting rights had been validly tendered into its public tender offer by the end of the additional acceptance period on October 30, 2026.¹ The offer, made through Swiss subsidiary Samsung Peptide AG, would bring a specialized peptide API contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) under a biologics-focused CDMO. Samsung Biologics expects the transaction to close toward the end of 2026 or in the first quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals.¹

When Samsung Biologics first announced the offer in July 2026, John Rim, chairman of the board of directors and CEO, framed the deal around modality expansion. "This acquisition reinforces our long-term growth strategy by not only broadening our service portfolio with modality expansion into peptides including GLP-1 [glucagon-like peptide-1], but by also boosting our geographic reach and proximity further within the United States, Europe, and India," Rim said in a company press release at the time.²

What are the terms and next steps?

Samsung Biologics offered CHF 44.31 (US$54.15) in cash per share, for an implied equity value of approximately CHF 1.46 billion (US$1.78 billion).² Based on preliminary figures, 32,350,302 PolyPeptide shares were tendered.¹ The definitive notice of the end result is expected on November 5, 2026.¹ Settlement, originally indicated for November 13, 2026, has been postponed pending regulatory approvals in several countries.¹ After settlement, Samsung Peptide intends to pursue a squeeze-out of remaining minority shareholders and delist PolyPeptide from the SIX Swiss Exchange.¹

What does the deal mean for biomanufacturing?

Samsung Biologics has 785,000 L of biomanufacturing capacity across its Bio Campus I and II sites in Korea and 60,000 L at its facility in Rockville, Maryland, for a total global capacity of 845,000 L.¹ That capacity supports modalities including multispecific antibodies, fusion proteins, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and messenger RNA therapeutics.¹ PolyPeptide focuses on peptide-based APIs and operates 6 GMP-certified facilities in Europe, the US, and India.¹ Samsung Biologics said the combination would create an "end-to-end multi-modality CDMO platform."²

The deal follows a broader shift toward complex modalities at the company. In an earlier BioPharm International® interview,³ Kasper Øland, vice president of sales execution for contract development organization services at Samsung Biologics, discussed the company's customer pipeline. More than 55% of that pipeline is complex molecules, including bispecific and multispecific antibodies and ADCs.³

The acquisition also stood out to industry observers. In a July 2026 Pharmaceutical Technology® interview,⁴ Saharsh Davuluri, vice chairman and managing director of Neuland Labs, said he was surprised by the deal. He had expected CDMOs to pursue more organic capacity expansion and new US investment.⁴

Why does it matter for the peptides market?

In its July 2026 announcement, Samsung Biologics described peptide therapeutics as "one of the fastest-growing segments of the biopharmaceutical industry."² It cited demand in obesity and diabetes, including GLP-1 therapies, as well as oncology and other emerging indications.² PolyPeptide reported significant exposure to metabolic diseases, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).¹ Davuluri in his interview similarly noted that peptide demand is expanding beyond metabolic uses into other therapeutic areas.⁴

The GLP-1 field has recently faced increased competition. China’s March 2026 approval of Sciwind Biosciences' ecnoglutide for chronic weight management, for example, intensified competition in a GLP-1 market led by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.⁵

What are the limitations?

The transaction is not yet complete and remains subject to regulatory approvals, and the tender figures are preliminary. Samsung Biologics has not disclosed integration plans, capacity investments, or changes to PolyPeptide's operations.

References

1. Samsung Biologics. Samsung Biologics publishes provisional end result for PolyPeptide tender offer with 97.99% participation rate. Press release. Published November 2, 2026. Accessed November 2, 2026. https://samsungbiologics.com/media/company-news/samsung-biologics-publishes-provisional-end-result-for-polypeptide-tender-offer-with-97dot99
2. Samsung Biologics. Samsung Biologics announces all-cash offer to acquire PolyPeptide, accelerating multi-modality strategy and expanding global network across U.S., Europe, and India. Press release. Published July 20, 2026. Accessed November 2, 2026. https://samsungbiologics.com/media/company-news/samsung-biologics-announces-all-cash-offer-to-acquire-polypeptide
3. Jacobus N, Øland K, Mirasol F. Samsung Biologics' Kasper Øland discusses why biopharma's shift to complex molecules is redefining what biotech companies require from CDMO partners. BioPharm International. Published July 1, 2026. Accessed November 2, 2026. https://www.biopharminternational.com/view/samsung-biologics-kasper-land-biopharma-complex-molecules-biotech-cdmo-partners
4. Davuluri S. Saharsh Davuluri's midyear take on the shifting CDMO landscape covers out-licensing, agility, and investment surprises. PharmTech. Published July 22, 2026. Accessed November 2, 2026. https://www.pharmtech.com/view/saharsh-davuluri-s-midyear-take-on-the-shifting-cdmo-landscape-covers-out-licensing-agility-and-investment-surprises
5. Sciwind Biosciences. Sciwind Biosciences announces ecnoglutide injection approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for chronic weight management. Press Release. Published March 6, 2026. Accessed Nov. 2, 2026. https://www.sciwindbio.com/portal/index/newsdetail/id/125/category_id/5.html