Ofichem Acquires Kinentia Biosciences to Expand U.S. CDMO Presence

Editor’s Take: Having greater flexibility in where development and manufacturing activities take place is an increasingly relevant consideration as pharmaceutical companies review supply chain resilience, onshoring and regional manufacturing strategies.

Ofichem has agreed to acquire Kinentia Biosciences, a Drug Substance CDMO based in Rensselaer, New York.

Dr. Weite Oldenziel, CEO of the Ofichem Group, says, “The acquisition of Kinentia represents an important milestone in Ofichem’s continued development. It strengthens our presence in the United States and complements our established European development and manufacturing capabilities. We are building one organization with one knowledge base, able to support customers from the first development decisions through to commercial supply.”

Complementary Capabilities

Kinentia supports pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with early-stage development, preclinical programs and clinical development activities. Following completion, Kinentia customers will have access to the wider Ofichem Drug Substance network as their programs progress, including process scale-up, regulatory support and GMP manufacturing at Ofichem’s FDA-inspected Ter Apel facility in the Netherlands.

The acquisition will allow Ofichem to work more closely with its existing U.S. customers and Kinentia’s biotechnology customer base, while providing a basis for developing regional manufacturing options across the United States and Europe. As a result, customers will have greater flexibility in where development and manufacturing activities take place.

The U.S. presence also creates a platform for Ofichem’s longer-term ambitions in controlled substances. Subject to relevant licenses and approvals, Ofichem intends to explore opportunities to establish U.S. capabilities for controlled substances, building on the group’s existing expertise in highly regulated products.

Ofichem’s scientific offering will also broaden, adding expertise in polysaccharides, small peptides and complex new chemical entities. These capabilities complement Ofichem’s established work in small molecules, highly potent compounds requiring OEB 3-5 controls, oligonucleotides, and targeted protein degradation technologies including proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs).

Following completion, the Drug Substance business will operate across New York, Ter Apel (NL) and Uppsala (SE). Each site brings different areas of expertise allowing customers to access scientific and manufacturing support according to the needs and stage of their program, from early scientific and analytical development through process development, scale-up and GMP manufacturing.

Dr. Dave Fairfax, President and CEO of Kinentia, says, “For our team and our customers, the fit with Ofichem is strong. We share a commitment to quality, scientific expertise and long-term customer relationships. Joining the group gives Kinentia access to a wider scientific network and a route into commercial manufacturing, while preserving the specialist approach that has shaped our business since 2007.”

Other Pharma Industry Acquisitions

Check out Contract Pharma’s Pharmaceutical Industry Mergers & Acquisitions Roundup.