Martin Meeson, CEO of Axplora, a CDMO of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing, highlighted the company’s $60-million investment program at the company’s Farmabios site in Gropello Cairoli, Italy, at the DCAT Member Company Announcement Forum, held March 23, 2026, at DCAT Week.

The latest phase of the investment plan includes construction of a new 4,500-m², three-story R&D and laboratory hub for high-potency manufacturing at scale. 

The investment builds on recent expansions across the Axplora network, including the multi-million-euro lyophilization expansion at its site in Le Mans, France, which strengthens the Group’s integrated antibody drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing platform. Once operational, the new facility will increase development and analytical throughput, reduce technology transfer complexity and compress timelines from early development to commercial production. 

High-potency active pharmaceutical ingredient (HPAPI) molecules now make up over 30 % of the global drug development pipeline, with over 1,000 highly potent small molecules in development, according to information from the company. The new facility will house R&D laboratories, quality control laboratories, microbiology laboratories, and integrated support areas directly connected to existing manufacturing operations.

Farmabios already operates HPAPI manufacturing workshops, built to an OEB 5 containment strategy. The site has five independent manufacturing lines and 105 m³ of installed capacity, supporting batch sizes from 0.5–300 kilograms. This platform is fully operational to support high-volume, high-potency programs. 

Construction is underway, with completion targeted for February 2027. The underlying HPAPI manufacturing capacity is qualified and operational, with first projects underway.