#Waltham #Cambrex #Peptide Manufacturing #Snapdragon Chemistry

Cambrex Strengthens Its Peptide Production in Waltham, Massachusetts

Cambrex, a prominent global contract development and manufacturing organization, has announced a significant expansion of its peptide manufacturing capabilities through its subsidiary, Snapdragon Chemistry. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, the upgraded facility aims to enhance the development and production of peptide therapies, an increasingly important area of pharmaceutical innovation.

The expansion of the Snapdragon facility is a notable development in the world of pharmaceutical manufacturing. In line with the latest good manufacturing practices, the new operational unit boosts the site’s footprint by 20%. It includes a state-of-the-art ISO-7 cleanroom to support high-performance liquid chromatography and lyophilization. Additionally, the facility features a cold storage warehouse for raw materials and a product storage unit, making it more versatile and efficient for various production stages.

According to Eric Fang, General Manager at Snapdragon Chemistry, the new facility is designed to implement a three-phase strategy for developing peptide-based drug candidates. The journey begins with automated solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) technology to validate concepts swiftly. Concurrently, the process is optimized using liquid-phase peptide synthesis (LPPS) technology to accelerate development and reduce manufacturing costs. Ultimately, the methods can be transferred to Cambrex’s larger facilities, such as the one in Charles City, Iowa, enabling large-scale production in batch reactors, which can notably lower the costs of the resulting medications.

Snapdragon’s LPPS technology utilizes conventional batch reactors combined with continuous flow systems. This innovation allows for a more sustainable approach in peptide manufacturing, significantly lowering solvent requirements and minimizing surplus reagents compared to standard solid-phase methods. As Matt Bio, the Scientific Director at Cambrex, explained,