Brenntag, a chemical and ingredients distributor headquartered in Essen, Germany, and Evonik, a specialty chemicals company headquartered in Essen, Germany, have entered a strategic partnership under which Brenntag will exclusively distribute Evonik’s REXIM pharmaceutical-grade amino acids across most European markets.

Effective July 1, the agreement covers the DACH region, the United Kingdom, France, Benelux, Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, Israel and Turkey, among other markets. Italy, Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa are excluded.

REXIM amino acids are manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and are used in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), excipients, medical nutrition products, and cell culture media for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, according to the companies.

Evonik said its REXIM portfolio includes natural and non-natural amino acids produced through fermentation, bioconversion, and synthetic manufacturing processes. Under the agreement, Brenntag will manage market development, technical support, and distribution throughout the covered territories.

Joakim Rehné, president of Brenntag Pharma EMEA, said in a statement that the partnership expands the company’s pharmaceutical ingredient portfolio and regional distribution capabilities.

The agreement is the latest expansion of Evonik’s pharmaceutical business. Earlier this week, the company partnered with evitria to launch a ready-to-use CHO cell-based protein expression platform designed to simplify transient protein expression for early-stage biologics research.

The company has also been investing in its facilities. Earlier this month, Evonik announced it would invest $100 million to modernize its drug substance contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) facility in Lafayette, Indiana. In April, the company launched a $93 million biotechnology expansion project at its Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia site to increase downstream fermentation capacity for pharmaceutical manufacturing.