Lonza Expands HPAPI Capacity in Visp

Editor’s take: Investment supports Lonza’s efforts to expand its position in the ADC space by further developing its integrated ADC offering and expanding commercial-scale supply of highly potent payload-linker molecules.

Lonza announced plans to enhance its drug-linker center of excellence and expand payload-linker manufacturing capacity at its Visp site. The expansion will establish new commercial-scale capabilities for the manufacture of highly complex and highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPI) and ADC payload-linkers.

The investment will add new manufacturing capacity within an existing GMP facility, bringing additional payload-linker production and purification alongside dedicated analytical and process development labs. The facility is designed for multipurpose use and scale-out, enabling flexible production of a broad range of payload-linker molecules, with the option to add additional suites as customer demand grows.

The new capacity is closely connected to Lonza’s broader integrated ADC ecosystem in Visp, which includes monoclonal antibody manufacture, conjugation and drug product (DP) manufacturing capabilities in Visp and Stein (CH) and additional quality control (QC) capacity capable of handling highly potent payload-linker molecules. The facility is expected to be operational in 2028.

Christian Seufert, Head of Advanced Synthesis, Lonza, said: “The rapid growth of the ADC market is driving increasing demand for highly complex payload-linkers that require advanced manufacturing capabilities. Lonza remains committed to investing and further developing its integrated ADC offering. This investment reflects that commitment by expanding our capacity to support this next generation of therapies and enabling our customers to progress efficiently from development to commercial supply.”