The merger will see Ardena onboard ChemConnection’s facility in Oss, the Netherlands, which has process and analytical development capabilities, and manufacturing and stability study technology for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and nanomedicine.
Ardena did not disclose which drug ingredients are made at the site, nor how much it paid for the company.
The acquisition will increase Ardena’s headcount from 140 to 200 employees.
Ardena CEO Harry Christiaens told us its acquisition strategy focuses on API development, rather than commercial API manufacturing.
“Our strategy is to be a development company providing integrated services throughout the clinical supply chain: API, drug product, pack and label, patient kits and bioanalysis.”
Until this acquisition, the firm was primarily focused on pharmaceutical development manufacturing of drug products, said Christiaens.
“With the acquisition of ChemConnection, we strengthen our offering with complementary drug substances services.
“Moreover, the team in Oss is globally reputed for its nanomedicine expertise enabling the targeted delivery of complex small molecules and biomolecules.”
Belgium-headquartered Ardena – the result of a merger between Pharmavize, Crystallics and Analytical Biochemical Laboratory (ABL) – launched in September last year.
The contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) offers solid-state chemistry, analytical and formulation development, and early-phase clinical supply manufacturing services.