Game-Changers in the Generic Pharmaceuticals Contract Manufacturing Market
- Boehringer Ingelheim
- Recipharm
- Piramal Pharma Solutions
- Jubilant Life Sciences/Jubilant Pharmova
- Siegfried Holding
- Cambrex Corporation
- Aenova Group
- Fareva Group
- Almac Group
- Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services
- Pfizer CentreOne
- Vetter Pharma International
- Alcami Corporation
- PCI Pharma Services
- Curia
Market Growth
The global generic pharmaceuticals contract manufacturing market size is calculated at US$ 81.24 billion in 2025, grew to US$ 85.99 billion in 2026, and is projected to reach around US$ 143.22 billion by 2035. The market is expanding at a CAGR of 5.85% between 2025 and 2034.
Key Companies and Their contributions and offerings
- Lonza Group- It has launched its new Design2Optimize platform in May 2025 to expand the process development of APIs.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Patheon)- It offers the development and manufacturing of small molecule APIs, the biologically active component of a drug.
- Catalent- In December 2024, Novo Holdings acquired this company to facilitate specialized manufacturing services.
- Samsung Biologics- It is leveraging its biosimilar development arm, Samsung Bioepis, to avoid possible conflicts of interest with its CDMO clients.
- WuXi AppTec- It has added 621 novel molecules to its small-molecule development and manufacturing pipeline in the first three quarters of 2025.
Company Landscape
Catalent, Inc. (Now a part of Novo Holdings)
Company Overview:
- Catalent is a global leader in providing advanced delivery technologies, development, and manufacturing solutions for drugs, biologics, gene therapies, and consumer health products.
- It operates as a full-service Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), playing a crucial role in the generic, branded, and biopharma supply chains.
Corporate Information (Headquarters, Year Founded, Ownership Type):
- Headquarters: Tampa, Florida, U.S. || Year Founded: 2007, spun out of Cardinal Health, with roots dating back to the 1930s. || Ownership Type: Private, acquired by Novo Holdings A/S (the holding company of the Novo Nordisk Foundation) in December 2024.
History and Background:
- Catalent was originally the Pharmaceutical Technologies and Services division of Cardinal Health.
- It was acquired by the private equity firm Blackstone Group in 2007 and renamed Catalent Pharma Solutions.
- The company went public in 2014 (NYSE: CTLT) before being taken private again by Novo Holdings in late 2024.
Key Milestones / Timeline:
- 2014: Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange.
- 2019: Acquired gene therapy CDMO Paragon Bioservices for $1.2 billion, significantly expanding biologics capabilities.
- 2020-2022: Major role in COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, including agreements with Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.
- Dec 2024: Novo Holdings completes its acquisition of Catalent for approximately $16.5 billion enterprise value.
- Oct 2025: Unveiled its new corporate brand and relocated its global headquarters to Tampa, Florida.
Business Overview:
- Catalent provides end-to-end solutions, from drug development and clinical supply to commercial manufacturing and packaging for various dosage forms.
- The company supports over 1,000 active development programs annually and produces billions of doses per year.
Business Segments / Divisions:
- Biologics: Biologics drug substance manufacturing, fill/finish, and cell and gene therapies.
- Clinical Supply Services: Clinical trial materials supply, packaging, and logistics.
- Oral Dose: Softgel capsules, oral solids, Zydis (Fast-Dissolve) technology, and specialty drug manufacturing.
- Self-Care: OTC medicines, supplements, and topical skin care.
Geographic Presence:
A vast global network of over 40 sites across North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific.
Key Offerings:
- Drug Product Manufacturing: Oral solids, softgel capsules, sterile injectables, inhalations.
- Advanced Delivery Technologies: Zydis (Orally Disintegrating Tablets), OptiPill (Bi-layer, Controlled Release tablets), OptiDose.
- Biologics Services: Cell line development, cell and gene therapy manufacturing, formulation, and fill/finish.
End-Use Industries Served:
Pharmaceutical, Biopharmaceutical (including novel therapies and generics), and Consumer Health/OTC.
Key Developments and Strategic Initiatives:
- Mergers & Acquisitions: Acquired Paragon Bioservices (2019), Master Cell Bank (MCB), and Virus Seed Stock (VSS) facility in Italy from Bristol Myers Squibb (2020).
- Partnerships & Collaborations: Collaboration with Galapagos NV (Jan 2025) to further expand Galapagos' decentralized CAR-T manufacturing network in the U.S.
- Product Launches / Innovations: Continues to promote its proprietary delivery platforms like Zydis (Orally Disintegrating Tablet) and OptiPill as key differentiators.
- Capacity Expansions / Investments: Ongoing investments across all segments, particularly in sterile fill/finish capacity and gene therapy manufacturing globally.
- Regulatory Approvals: Supports regulatory filing and approval for approximately half of all new FDA drug approvals over the past decade.
Distribution Channel Strategy:
- Direct business-to-business (B2B) sales model to pharmaceutical, biotech, and consumer health companies globally.
- Global integrated Clinical Supply Services network for efficient, secure distribution of clinical trial materials.
Technological Capabilities / R&D Focus:
- Core Technologies / Patents: Softgel capsule technology, Zydis fast-dissolve technology, OptiPill drug delivery.
- Research & Development Infrastructure: Operates R&D and clinical sites globally, focusing on advanced formulation and delivery science.
- Innovation Focus Areas: Biologics and advanced modalities (Cell & Gene Therapy), enhanced small molecule bioavailability, and continuous manufacturing.
Competitive Positioning:
- Strengths & Differentiators: Scale and scope, deep expertise in formulation and delivery technologies, leading position in softgel and Zydis ODT, and a rapidly growing presence in the highly lucrative biologics and cell/gene therapy CDMO market.
- Market presence & ecosystem role: Global market leader, particularly strong in North America and Europe, serving large pharma, mid-sized biotech, and generic manufacturers.
SWOT Analysis:
- Strengths: Extensive global network, proprietary delivery technologies, strong position in high-growth biologics/gene therapy, and robust regulatory compliance.
- Weaknesses: Integration challenges following a rapid acquisition strategy, reliance on large capital expenditure, and historical operational issues.
- Opportunities: Expansion in Asia-Pacific, growth in complex small molecule generics, and leveraging parent company Novo Holdings' resources for further investment.
- Threats: Intense competition from Thermo Fisher, Lonza, and Asian CDMOs, and regulatory compliance risks.
Recent News and Updates:
- Press Releases: October 28, 2025: Catalent Debuts New Corporate Brand, Elevating Customer Service Excellence by “Championing the Missions that Matter™.” October 27, 2025: Announced the opening of its new global corporate headquarters in Tampa, Florida.
- Industry Recognitions / Awards: Frequently recognized as a top CDMO partner in industry surveys for quality and service.
Recipharm AB
Company Overview:
Recipharm is a leading European Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), providing end-to-end services across the drug life cycle, with a long history of serving the generic and branded pharmaceutical markets.
It offers manufacturing services for both small molecules and advanced biologics.
Corporate Information (Headquarters, Year Founded, Ownership Type):
- Headquarters: Jordbro, Sweden. | Year Founded: 1995. | Ownership Type: Private, majority-owned by the EQT IX fund.
History and Background:
- Founded in 1995 when Lars Backsell and Thomas Eldered acquired the pharmaceutical manufacturing unit of Kabi Pharmacia in Sweden.
- Recipharm grew primarily through a strategy of acquiring manufacturing sites from pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and others across Europe.
- This strategy built a vast network of facilities adept at manufacturing established, often generic or branded generic, products.
Key Milestones / Timeline:
- 2007-2015: Rapid international expansion through multiple acquisitions of manufacturing sites in France, Germany, the U.K., and India.
- 2020: Acquired Consort Medical, significantly strengthening its sterile fill/finish, respiratory, and device capabilities (Bespak division).
- 2022: Acquired Arranta Bio and Vibalogics, marking a major strategic move into the high-growth Advanced Biologics market (Cell & Gene Therapy, Viral Vector).
- Sep 2025: Strengthened its brand to reinforce customer focus and manufacturing leadership, including rebranding the advanced therapies division to Recipharm Advanced Bio.
- Oct 2025: Inaugurated a state-of-the-art parenteral development and sterility laboratories.
Business Overview:
The company offers comprehensive services for drug product manufacturing, from clinical trial material to commercial supply, with a focus on both traditional dosage forms and advanced therapeutic modalities.
Business Segments / Divisions:
- Oral Dosage: Oral solids, semi-solids, and oral liquids.
- Sterile Delivery: Sterile liquids, freeze-dried products, Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) technology, and pre-filled syringes.
- Advanced Bio (formerly ReciBioPharm): Biologics drug substance and drug product, including Live Biotherapeutic Products (LBPs), Viral Vectors, and Vaccines.
Geographic Presence:
Significant presence in Europe (Nordics, France, Germany, U.K., Italy), as well as a growing footprint in North America and Asia (India).
Key Offerings:
- Drug Product Manufacturing: Tablets, capsules, liquids, gels, creams, sterile injectables, and respiratory devices.
- Specialized Manufacturing: High Potency Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (HPAPI), Beta-lactams, Hormones.
- Development Services: Formulation, analytical, clinical supply, and process optimization.
End-Use Industries Served:
Large and mid-sized pharmaceutical companies, virtual/biotech companies, and generic manufacturers (both branded and unbranded).
Key Developments and Strategic Initiatives:
- Mergers & Acquisitions: Recent acquisitions include Consort Medical (2020), Arranta Bio (2022), and Vibalogics (2022).
- Partnerships & Collaborations: Collaboration with NeuroSense Therapeutics (Sep 2025) to advance ALS therapy PrimeC toward Phase 3 trials.
- Product Launches / Innovations: Introduced branded tools like ReciPredict™ (AI-driven modeling), ReciDev™ (development offerings), and Recimagine™ (inline analytical ecosystem).
- Capacity Expansions / Investments: Inaugurated state-of-the-art parenteral development and sterility laboratories (Oct 2025). Secured a major additional grant to develop AI-enabled manufacturing technologies (Oct 2025).
- Regulatory Approvals: Supports customers through all phases of regulatory filing and manufacturing under GMP compliance (FDA, EMA, etc.).
Distribution Channel Strategy:
Primarily a direct B2B model, leveraging its global network of cGMP facilities to supply products to customers' distribution centers and global markets.
Technological Capabilities / R&D Focus:
- Core Technologies / Patents: Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) sterile technology, Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI) and respiratory devices (via Bespak).
- Research & Development Infrastructure: Dedicated R&D and analytical laboratories across Europe and India, focusing on complex injectables and advanced biologics.
- Innovation Focus Areas: Advanced Biologics (Cell & Gene Therapy), applying AI and digital solutions (ReciPredict™, ReciCore™) to optimize manufacturing, and sustainability (achieved 100% renewable electricity across all sites).
Competitive Positioning:
- Strengths & Differentiators: A strong European heritage and footprint, robust capabilities in complex sterile delivery and respiratory devices, and a rapidly expanding, integrated offering in advanced biologics. Known for reliable supply of established, complex generic products.
- Market presence & ecosystem role: One of the largest European CDMOs, acting as a key manufacturing partner for numerous generic and mid-sized pharma companies.
SWOT Analysis:
- Strengths: Global network spanning multiple dosage forms, strong position in European generics and injectables, successful diversification into advanced biologics, and commitment to sustainability.
- Weaknesses: Potential for fragmentation due to growth by acquisition, and significant capital outlay needed for biopharma expansion.
- Opportunities: High demand for advanced modalities (gene therapy, vaccines) and complex generic injectables, and leveraging AI/digitalization to improve efficiency.
- Threats: Competition from global giants like Lonza/Thermo Fisher and Asian CDMOs with lower cost structures.
Recent News and Updates:
- Press Releases: October 28, 2025: Secured major additional grant to develop AI-enabled manufacturing technologies. October 13, 2025: Inaugurated state-of-the-art parenteral development and sterility laboratories.
- Industry Recognitions / Awards: Achieved an A- Climate CDP rating (leading and outperforming the industry) for its environmental performance.
Recent Developments in the Generic Pharmaceuticals Contract Manufacturing Market
- In October 2025, the global pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) launched an authorized generic version of Ravicti (Glycerol Phenylbutyrate) Oral Liquid, 1.1g/mL, in the United States.
- In August 2025, NATCO Pharma unveiled generic Bosentan tablets for oral suspension in the United States.
- In May 2025, Meitheal Pharmaceuticals launched a generic paclitaxel formulation in the United States through an exclusive commercial licensing agreement.
Partner with our experts to explore the Generic Pharmaceuticals contract at: sales@towardshealthcare.com
