Cambrex Advances US and European Expansions
Published: 01 Apr 2026
Author: Precedence Research
Cambrex, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), has announced the completion of initial engineering studies for its large-scale active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing plant in Charles City, Iowa. This marks a significant step toward the company's progress, which has announced a $120 million investment in expanding its U.S. API manufacturing capabilities.
Expansion of Charles City with 140,000 litres of capacity, including large-scale and mid-scale reactors, advanced Hastelloy agitated filter dryers, and enhancements to existing manufacturing suites. After the completion of this phase of expansion, the site will see a 20% increase in large-scale manufacturing capacity. This expansion will enable support for complex chemistry, including controlled substances, highly potent APIs (HPAPIs), and commercial-scale liquid-phase peptide manufacturing, positioning Cambrex as a trusted partner for pharmaceutical innovators.
Market growth is driven by Strategic investment in the U.S. and Europe
According to Towards Healthcare, the Contract Pharmaceutical Manufacturing market is projected to experience significant growth, with estimates suggesting the market size will increase from USD 255.41 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 599.3 billion by 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.94% from 2026 to 2035. Growth is driven by rising outsourcing by pharmaceutical companies, increasing demand for cost efficiency, expanding biologics production, regulatory support, technological advancements, and growing healthcare needs across emerging and developed markets.
About Cambrex
Cambrex is a leading global contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) that provides drug substance development and manufacturing across the entire drug lifecycle, as well as comprehensive analytical and IND enabling services.
It has 45 years of experience with a growing team of 2000 experts and serves clients globally from North America and Europe. Cambrex offers specialised drug substance technologies and
capabilities, including continuous flow, controlled substances, liquid-phase peptide synthesis, solid-state science, material characterisation, and highly potent APIs.
The High-Stakes Race for Specialised API Production
Cambrex Corporation blends specialized high-potency API handling with advanced formulation support. Recent investments in analytical technology and facility expansion has enhance its competitive advantage, and its commitment towards transparent project management delivers value-added solutions for pharmaceutical clients targeting oncology, cardiovascular, and endocrine therapies.
The market for highly potent APIs, essential for targeted cancer therapies like antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), is expanding annually. The most intense growth is concentrated in the specialised API segments Cambrex is targeting.
A recent report by Towards Healthcare highlights that the Contract Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Market is witnessing robust growth driven by increasing outsourcing trends, rising demand for cost-efficient production, expanding biologics manufacturing, and strong pharmaceutical pipelines across global markets