Lonza, a global manufacturing partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech and nutraceutical markets, extended its collaboration with a major biopharmaceutical partner for the commercial-scale filling of ADCs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lonza will construct a dedicated commercial-scale aseptic cGMP filling line at its Stein (CH) site. The new dedicated filling line will enable the aseptic filling of highly potent ADCs and lyophilization under containment. The additional filling capabilities strengthen Lonza’s capacity and flexibility to support both clinical and commercial supply of bioconjugates.

The extended customer agreement builds upon a multi-year relationship spanning the manufacturing of highly-potent payloads, drug-linker and conjugation services, and the large-scale supply of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The filling line is expected to be operational in 2027 and is anticipated to create approximately 115 new jobs at peak capacity.

The additional filling line in Stein follows the recent completion of a filling line in Visp (CH) and the groundbreaking of a large-scale commercial filling facility in Stein (CH), delivered by an investment of approximately CHF 500 million.

Peter Droc, head of drug product services, Lonza, said, “The new dedicated cGMP commercial line in Stein (CH) will complement Lonza’s global manufacturing network and will further strengthen our capabilities within drug product Services, encompassing drug product formulation and analytical development, and early-launch, clinical filling and commercial filling.”