France is Europe’s 4th largest pharmaceutical manufacturer, having produced pharmaceuticals valued at €21.9 billion in 2019.  In recent years, the French contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) market has seen strong organic growth with the members of CDMO France, the association grouping some of France’s top CDMOs holding more than 80 industrial sites in the country. We have put together a selection of some of France’s key CDMO players.

 

Cenexi

Specialising in the formulation, analytical development, and manufacture of complex molecule drugs, Cenexi has 4 facilities en France, 1,300 employees and an annual turnover of EUR 180 million. The company has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to produce ProvayBlue®, a drug from the French pharmaceutical company Provepharm.

 

Chemineau

Chemineau, specialised in the development and manufacturing of drugs, cosmetic products and medical devices, has one factory in France, 300 employees and an annual turnover of EUR 70 million.

 

CREAPHARM GROUP

Bringing together 4 commercial entities (CREAPHARM CLINICAL SUPPLIES, CREAPHARM BIOSERVICES, CREAPHARM INDUSTRY and CREAPHARM COSMETICS) that support customers from R&D to the marketing, CREAPHARM GROUP generated a turnover of EUR 33 million in 2020/21. The company has 6 industrial sites in France and one in the US. Read the PharmaBoardroom interview with CEO Eric Placet.

 

Delpharm

Delpharm owns 17 manufacturing plants (12 in France, 2 in Italy, 1 in Belgium, 1 in the Netherlands and 1 in Canada) providing most dosage forms available on the market from tablets to syrups, bottles and vials.  The group has an annual turnover of EUR 950 million and in 2019, expanded by purchasing five sites from Famar Group in a deal worth more than USD 250 million.

 

Fareva

A family-owned company that operates in 11 countries with 41 factories that employs 12,000 people across the globe, 3,700 of them in France, has an annual turnover of EUR 1.8 billion (2019), EUR 650 million in France. In recent years, Fareva has strengthened its position in France by purchasing sites from both MSD and the Pierre-Fabre Group. Read the PharmaBoardroom interview with President, Bernard Fraisse.

 

Galien

With 4 manufacturing plants in France, Galien’s expertise spans from sachets, high potency products, and dry forms. Thanks to its 550 employees in France, its industrial sites achieve an annual turnover of €70 million.

 

Synerlab

Synerlab Group, a multiform specialist CDMO, has 5 factories in France (and 2 in Spain), is specialised in the production of small and medium series and has an annual turnover of EUR 140 million. Read the PharmaBoardroom interview with CEO, Pierre Banzet.

 

Unither

Unither has 4 manufacturing plants and 1 R&D centre in France, as well as sites in the US and China. Focused mainly on liquid and semi-solid pharmaceutical forms, the company has an annual turnover of €240 million. In 2021, Unither won a “capacity building” grant from the French state as part of a drive to strengthen the entire COVID-19 vaccine production chain.