Axplora announces further €35M expansion at Farmabios to double footprint and fuel long-term growth

Axplora is proud to unveil a transformative €35 million expansion at its Farmabios site in Gropello Cairoli, Italy, reinforcing the company’s longstanding commitment to serving the evolving needs of its customers through strategic investment and innovation. This latest investment builds on the €45 million already committed over the past five years, bringing Axplora’s total recent investment in Farmabios to over €80 million.

The addition of 62,000 square meters of new development in 2026 will more than double the total footprint of the site to 108,000 square meters. This will be more than ten times its original size Farmabios began commercial operations in 1968.

“This expansion is not just a matter of scale, it’s about shaping the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing,” said Mario Di Giacomo, Managing Director of Farmabios. “We are investing with purpose: to enhance our capabilities, support our partners, and continue leading with innovation and integrity.”

This expansion follows a period of accelerated growth at Farmabios over the last five years, during which €45m has already been invested. Key initiatives include the construction of a new micronisation department, expanded warehouse capacity, and the RS40 building – a state-of-the-art unit purpose- built for the safe and efficient handling of High Potent APIs (HPAPIs).

Designed in accordance with the most stringent safety and containment standards, RS40 employs a comprehensive exposure control strategy, including a layout based on exposure zoning that ensures strict segregation of high-potency operations within dedicated suites. The facility supports an Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) as low as 10 nanograms per cubic meter and complies fully with OEB5 containment criteria. Its design incorporates stand-alone workshops and fully isolated process rooms to mitigate cross-contamination risks, offering maximum protection for both operators and products. In addition, the micronisation rooms are equipped with isolators specifically designed for HPAPI processing, ensuring safe handling of potent compounds at every stage.

This period of investment has been matched by significant talent growth: between 2020 and 2024, Farmabios’ workforce nearly doubled, from approximately 150 to nearly 300 employees, reflecting the site’s strategic importance within Axplora’s global network. This trend is likely to continue with the expansion of the site.

“The Farmabios site reflects Axplora’s commitment to being a proactive, science-led, and sustainable partner,” said Martin Meeson, CEO of Axplora. “Every investment we make is guided by the ambition to deliver greater value to our customers, while raising the bar in reliability, speed and efficiency.”

Building Advanced Capabilities for a Dynamic Future

Today, Farmabios is equipped with specialized facilities for cytotoxic and sterile processing, comprehensive R&D infrastructure, and robust supply chain and warehousing capabilities. Its environmental performance continues to evolve with the integration of Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTOs), supporting Axplora’s sustainability roadmap.

In 2024, these efforts were recognized with Platinum status from EcoVadis, placing the site among the top 1% of companies worldwide for sustainability performance.

The new greenfield expansion is designed to support the next generation of pharmaceutical manufacturing – with built-in flexibility, increased production efficiency, and full alignment with global regulatory standards.

This milestone represents far more than physical expansion. It signals Axplora’s ongoing momentum as a trusted, innovative, and growth-focused partner to the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Building on recent strategic investments of €50 million in Mourenx and €8 million in Le Mans, the Farmabios investment further strengthens Axplora’s manufacturing network. As customer needs evolve, Axplora continues to invest decisively in the capacity, talent, and infrastructure that will define the future of API manufacturing.

About Axplora

Axplora is a trusted manufacturing partner to over 900 of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies, formed from the integration of PharmaZell, Farmabios, and Novasep CDMO—three industry leaders with decades of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Axplora delivers high-quality, reliable, and sustainable solutions across the pharmaceutical value chain. With deep capabilities in complex chemistry and industrial manufacturing combined with an agile, explorer’s mindset, Axplora supports pharmaceutical and biotech companies in developing and producing life-changing therapies. PharmaZell and Farmabios are renowned for their expertise in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), highly potent compounds, and regulatory excellence, while Novasep CDMO is a leader in small molecule and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) manufacturing while being a pioneer in purification technologies.

Axplora operates 9 API manufacturing

For more information, visit axplora.com