Powered by Teamwork: Welcoming New Colleagues and Expanding Our Global Reach

Happy Fall – I hope everyone got to enjoy some time off with their loved ones over the summer and got their batteries recharged!   

As this is my first editorial for Corden Connect, I’d like to introduce myself – I’m Jens Hartmann, Head of Corporate Development and M&A.  

2026 has truly been a special year for CordenPharma so far. While celebrating our 20-year anniversary, we have completed the largest acquisition in the history of CordenPharma: by acquiring AmbioPharm, we are bringing together complementary expertise, technologies and manufacturing capabilities to build an even stronger partner for our customers, offering early clinical programs through commercial supply from three continents. 

As peptide therapeutics continue to transform the treatment landscape across metabolic diseases, oncology, and many other therapeutic areas, the demands placed on development and manufacturing partners are growing just as rapidly. Customers increasingly require not only capacity, but also technical flexibility, supply chain resilience, geographic optionality, and the ability to support ever more complex peptide programs.  

Against this backdrop, the acquisition of AmbioPharm marks an important milestone in CordenPharma’s evolution. The U.S.-headquartered peptide CDMO, with facilities in North Augusta, South Carolina and Shanghai, China, will further strengthen our position as a leading development and manufacturing partner for peptide-based therapeutics. 

The rationale behind this transaction was clear. Peptide medicines are among the fastest-growing segments of the pharmaceutical industry, driven by both established and emerging applications. AmbioPharm brings complementary strengths that meaningfully enhance our existing capabilities, expanding our expertise across advanced linear and fragment-based peptide synthesis, Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS), Liquid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS), and hybrid manufacturing approaches. Combined with CordenPharma’s proprietary TAPS technology and our existing peptide capabilities, we can offer customers a broader range of solutions than ever before. 

Equally important is the increased flexibility this combination creates. The addition of a second U.S. peptide manufacturing location strengthens our ability to support customers seeking fully U.S.-based supply models, while our new presence in Shanghai enhances manufacturing options. Together with our established peptide operations in the U.S. and across Europe, this creates a more diversified and resilient global network capable of supporting customers wherever their programs may lead. 

Even more important than infrastructure and technology, we have welcomed more than 400 experienced peptide professionals who have joined CordenPharma through the acquisition, bringing deep scientific knowledge, operational expertise, and a shared commitment to quality and customer success.  

Throughout August, I have had the pleasure of joining our CEO Dr. Michael Quirmbach and other members of the Executive Leadership Team to visit both sites and meet almost every one of the 400 new colleagues through local town halls and a ton of meetings, lunches and dinners. We got to meet lots of talented and engaged people who love to create value for customers and make a difference in patients’ lives.  

Last week, we held a Groundbreaking Ceremony at our new site in North Augusta, South Carolina, marking an important milestone in the planned site expansion to add further U.S.-based upstream peptide capacity to our manufacturing network, with go live expected in early 2028. 

This week, on 1st October, we welcome our newly appointed CEO Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux while Dr. Micheal Quirmbach transitions into the role of Board Member and Senior Advisor. I join the whole CordenPharma team in thanking Michael for his outstanding and visionary leadership in growing CordenPharma into a leading CDMO over the past 12 years. We look forward to the future of continued growth with Jean-Luc as CEO and Michael as Board Member. 

In this Q326 edition, you will hear from Dr. John Cameron, Global Head, Injectables Business Unit on our recent sterile injectable manufacturing expansion in our Caponago, IT facility. 

Next, watch this webinar by Dr. Stephen Houldsworth “Securing Your Critical Small Molecule API Clinical Needs” to learn the ways our Small Molecule Drug Substance development and manufacturing increases program efficiency and timelines.

Finally, Dr. Tobias Kapp, Global Head of Peptide Development, will update you on our PepCellerate™ First-In-Human (FIH) peptide-injectable clinical trial supply services with aligned CMC development pathways. 

We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming CPHI Milan 6-8 Oct – Stand 6F58, AAPS 25-28 Oct in New Orleans – Stand 1510, Tides Europe 3-5 Nov in Amsterdam – Stand 602 or at other CordenPharma events throughout the year. 

We are excited about what lies ahead and, as always, welcome any suggestions or feedback you might have on how we can better serve you. Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. 

Jens Hartmann
Head of Corporate Development and M&A
CordenPharma