Swiss-headquartered contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Lonza announced it is upgrading bioconjugation manufacturing suites at its Visp, Switzerland site, with the introduction of 500 liter single-use capacity in 2027 designed to enable quicker product onboarding and increased flexibility for customers.

The company also said that its previously announced bioconjugation expansion in Visp will now include three multiproduct suites, with commercial manufacturing capacity expected to be operational from 2028. A new large-scale bioconjugation facility is under construction and will add three multiproduct suites for cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic products, with stainless-steel and single-use manufacturing at scales of up to 1,200 liters. 

“Together, these capabilities will offer customers a scalable manufacturing pathway from clinical development through commercial supply for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and other bioconjugates,” Lonza said. “Demand for bioconjugates is increasing as more ADCs and other bioconjugates progress through clinical development towards commercialization.”

Lonza’s Visp site is designed as an integrated end-to-end ADC manufacturing center serving customers with connected capabilities across multiple platforms, including monoclonal antibody, payload, linker, and bioconjugation. In Europe, the company says regional supply and demand is “in balance” when it comes to its existing bioconjugation footprint, according to a company presentation to analysts earlier this month at its annual Capital Markets Day.

However, the United States is quite a different story. Lonza CEO Wolfgang Wienand noted during his presentation that the company is lacking bioconjugation capabilities in the U.S. — a potential area of future investment for the CDMO.