CDMO acquires Meppel facility from Astellas

Delpharm has acquired the Meppel pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the Netherlands from Astellas.

The 31,600 square meter facility produces some 40 million finished solid dosage forms each year, including tablets, capsules and pellets.

Meppel will be used to manufacture products for Astellas, according to the terms of the original agreement.  

“We are delighted to further expand our operations in the Netherland with this [third] site,” commented Nicolas Ragot, Managing Director of Delpharm.

The acquisition will strengthen the CDMO’s position in the Netherlands, where it already owns a manufacturing facility in Bladel and an injectable drug development centre in Leiden.

Elsewhere, Delpharm operates pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities at 11 sites in France, two in Italy, two in Canada and one in Poland. The company employs more than 6,500 people, generating revenues of €1.1 billion in 2024.

Astellas announced its decision to sell the Meppel facility in May 2023. Under the terms of that agreement, Delpharm will continue to manufacture the products currently made at the plant in Meppel and will deliver them to Astellas. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“This collaboration between Delpharm and Astellas will allow Astellas to utilise a high-quality and efficient outsourced manufacturing system in Meppel,” the Astellas statement said.