Hovione Acquires ExtremoChem to Boost Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals

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Hovione Acquires ExtremoChem to Boost Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals — Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, CEO of Hovione

Hovione, a leading Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) specializing in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, has successfully acquired ExtremoChem Lda, an innovative start-up with expertise in the synthesis, development, and commercialization of bio-inspired synthetic sugars. ExtremoChem’s portfolio includes rare sugars, synthetic analogues of natural molecules found in extremophiles—organisms capable of surviving in extreme environments.

ExtremoChem’s proprietary sugars have demonstrated significant potential in overcoming challenges related to the stabilization of biopharmaceuticals throughout various stages of their life cycle, including production, purification, formulation, and transportation. These high-performance functional materials offer enhanced stabilization, reduced viscosity, and improved delivery performance for proteins and other biopharmaceuticals.

Dr. Jean-Luc Herbeaux, CEO of Hovione, emphasized the strategic importance of this acquisition, stating, “Proteins and other biopharmaceuticals account for a significant share of our customers’ pipelines. The acquisition of ExtremoChem’s synthetic sugars, combined with Hovione’s particle engineering capabilities, provides our customers with a unique set of tools to optimize formulations that address stability issues encountered during the life cycle of biopharmaceuticals.”

ExtremoChem’s Managing Director, Filipe Aguiar, expressed his satisfaction with the acquisition, stating, “I am delighted that ExtremoChem has been acquired by Hovione. Hovione has a long history of developing and industrializing innovative technologies for the pharma industry. This acquisition will help ensure that the science we developed at ExtremoChem will have a wider and faster market adoption.”

This acquisition reflects Hovione’s commitment to expanding its technology platforms and meeting customer demand for integrated and differentiated development and manufacturing services in drug substance, particle engineering, and drug product. The company, with over 60 years of experience, operates FDA-inspected sites in the USA, Portugal, Ireland, and China, and has development laboratories in Lisbon, Portugal, and New Jersey, USA.

Hovione’s dedication to innovation, quality, and dependability is evident in its status as the first Chemical/Pharmaceutical Company to become a Certified B Corp. The company is also a member of Rx-360 and EFCG, actively participating in industry quality improvement initiatives to establish new global industry standards.

ExtremoChem, as a chemical synthesis start-up, focuses on the development of organic synthetic sugars specifically designed for stabilizing biologicals under stress conditions. The acquisition by Hovione is expected to facilitate the wider market adoption of ExtremoChem’s scientific advancements in synthetic sugars.