Lonza is expanding bioconjugation manufacturing capacity in Visp, Switzerland, with 500-litre single-use capacity planned for 2027 and three new commercial manufacturing suites expected in 2028.

Mid-scale manufacturing upgrades planned for 2027

Lonza is upgrading its existing bioconjugation manufacturing facilities in Visp, Switzerland, to introduce 500-litre single-use capacity by 2027. The upgrades are intended to support the production of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and other bioconjugates, with greater flexibility for pharmaceutical companies developing these therapies.

The upgraded suites will incorporate single-use equipment, chromatography capabilities and parallel manufacturing capacity. According to Lonza, these changes will support faster changeovers between manufacturing campaigns, more flexible production planning and the introduction of new customer programmes.

The expansion addresses manufacturing requirements as more ADCs progress through clinical development towards commercialisation. ADCs combine an antibody with a drug payload designed to target specific cells, and their manufacture requires specialised processes to produce the conjugated products.

The additional 500-litre capacity will operate within Lonza’s existing bioconjugation manufacturing infrastructure. The company expects the upgrades to provide a more adaptable manufacturing environment for multiple products and development programmes.

Three new suites to support commercial ADC production

Lonza is also expanding its previously announced large-scale bioconjugation facility in Visp. The project will now include three multiproduct manufacturing suites, with commercial capacity expected to become operational from 2028.

The facility will support both cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic products, using stainless-steel and single-use manufacturing systems at scales of up to 1,200 litres.

The additional capacity is intended to support commercial production of ADCs and other bioconjugates as customer programmes advance beyond clinical development. The use of multiproduct suites is designed to accommodate different manufacturing requirements across programmes.

Christian Seufert, head of Advanced Synthesis at Lonza, said: “As more ADCs and other bioconjugates advance towards commercialization, customers need confidence that manufacturing capacity can grow with their programs. Lonza’s investments in Visp reinforce our ambition to be the leading CDMO partner for integrated bioconjugation development and manufacturing solutions.”

Manufacturing capacity across clinical and commercial development

The two investments will combine mid-scale manufacturing with additional large-scale commercial capacity at the Visp site.

The mid-scale upgrades are scheduled for completion in 2027, while the three new commercial manufacturing suites are expected to be operational from 2028. Together, they are intended to give pharmaceutical companies a route to increase production as ADC candidates progress through development.

Lonza said the combined facilities would offer greater manufacturing flexibility and support the introduction of new programmes, alongside the transition from clinical supply to commercial production.

The expansion forms part of the company’s wider bioconjugation manufacturing offering. However, Lonza has not disclosed the investment value or quantified the additional production capacity that the projects will deliver across its manufacturing network.