The world of peptide manufacturing is currently undergoing unprecedented changes. New diabetes and obesity drugs are driving the demand for active ingredients. Pharmaceutical companies and suppliers together do not have enough capacity to produce the required APIs today. This is why both drug manufacturers and the supplier industry have launched construction projects to increase production capacity.

 

Network strategy at Bachem

Bachem aims to serve customers with diverse demands for annual API production volume. Thus, we implement a network strategy tailored to our existing and future capacity.
For large-scale manufacturing, we are expanding our production capacities at the headquarters in Bubendorf, and in the medium term, build up a completely new site in Sisslerfeld. Furthermore, our Vista site will be expanded to support large production volumes of up to one metric ton with capacity in the US, too.
For smaller volumes, our Torrance site offers the right scale equipment.
To strengthen our supply chain, our Vionnaz site further develops its expertise in amino acid derivatives as starting materials/building blocks for our other sites among other suppliers.
Our smallest site, St. Helens, will continue to strengthen their expertise in research chemicals.

 

Building K: Advanced Peptide & Oligonucleotide Production – Bubendorf (CH)

As the demand for peptides and oligonucleotides continues to rise, our highest priority is opening the state-of-the-art production facility known as Building K.

The building integrates:

• High-capacity production cells for scalable synthesis.
• Advanced energy systems (heating, cooling, water, cold storage, etc.).
• A specialized tank farm for large-scale operations.

Since its groundbreaking in 2021, the project has evolved to accommodate major long-term orders.

 

Expanding Capacity to Support TIDES Growth – Vista (US)

A strategic investment is being made at the Vista site to address rising demand, aimed at significantly increasing peptide production capacity. This expansion includes:

• Large-scale SPPS Reactors for efficient peptide synthesis.
• Cleavage Equipment Train with two filter dryers to enhance throughput.
• Increased Tank Farm & Waste Management to support high-volume operations.
• Automated Glass Washer & New Heating/Chilling Systems for operational efficiency.

The project has an ambitious timeline and the goal is to increase annual peptide output to nearly one metric ton.

A Major Expansion in Switzerland – Sisseln (CH)

With production at existing sites running out of space to expand, a new site is being developed in northwestern Switzerland. The new site will focus on large-scale peptide manufacturing, ensuring continued supply to meet market demands for decades.

This project represents one of the most ambitious industrial expansions in Switzerland. New project management standards are applied to ensure its success, incorporating experience from previous large-scale builds. The first phase of development will begin with concept design in 2025.

 

Expanding Synthesis Capabilities for Diagnostic Peptides – St.Helens (UK)

A key challenge in peptide production is maintaining quality and efficiency with a higher output. A transformative partnership with an in-vitro diagnostic customer kicked off significant advancements in the site’s peptide synthesis capacity. The initial challenge was producing peptides at scale, requiring infrastructure upgrades. Over the past years, synthesis methods have been refined and the capacity has been further developed. As a result of these activities, our output for diagnostic peptides has doubled.