Lifecore, PolyPeptide partner on US end-to-end peptide manufacturing

Lifecore Biomedical, a Minnesota-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), and PolyPeptide Laboratories, a global peptide CDMO, announced a collaboration to provide an integrated, end-to-end manufacturing solution for peptide-based pharmaceuticals in the United States.

The partnership combines PolyPeptide’s peptide synthesis and development expertise with Lifecore’s formulation, fill-finish, and packaging capabilities. The companies said the collaboration is designed to help customers reduce costs, shorten timelines, and ensure regulatory consistency by maintaining production entirely within the U.S.

“This collaboration brings together two leading organizations, each an expert in its field, to deliver value to peptide-based pharmaceutical developers. Together, we expect to optimize product development activities through a range of collaborative studies and assessments, and, by streamlining the supply chain, aim to help customers meet their development milestones,” Mark DaFonseca, chief commercial officer of Lifecore Biomedical said in a statement.

Trishul Shah, global director of business development and head of sales for PolyPeptide, added, “The companies anticipate jointly supporting laboratory transfers, equipment comparability, method transfer and release testing, thus ensuring robust technical oversight and quality through the entire process.” 

The announcement follows several recent developments for Lifecore. In August, analysts highlighted the company’s growing late-stage project pipeline, including a GLP-1 therapeutic candidate for obesity that could reach commercial approval before the decade’s end. Analysts from William Blair and Barrington Research cited Lifecore’s fill-finish expansion and new 5-head isolator filler as key drivers positioning the company for a potential revenue inflection point by 2027.

Earlier this year, Lifecore also signed a 10-year commercial manufacturing and supply agreement to advance a novel ophthalmic therapeutic through clinical development and into market, according to the company.