Lonza inaugurates its innovation center in Colmar (Eastern France)

Swiss company Lonza, which has been based in Eastern France since 2016, inaugurated its innovation center in Colmar on September 19.

Co-innovation at the heart of Lonza’s project

This new research center, in which the Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical giant has invested 12.5 million euros, will be dedicated to co-innovation. Specializing in the design of capsules for oral and pulmonary administration for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and nutrition companies, the Group sees this new site as a center of excellence for innovations devised with its partners. They will be directly involved in formulation and encapsulation research. “The idea is to work with our pharmaceutical customers who have development problems,” explains site manager Ronny Van de Neste.

Named Innovaform, the two-storey, 200m2 facility will accommodate around twenty employees, in the immediate vicinity of the company’s historic site in Colmar.

Creating new opportunities for Lonza in Eastern France

Present in Alsace following the purchase of the Capsugel plant in Colmar in 2016, Lonza is looking to create new market opportunities through research and innovation. “We have know-how around capsule formulation that we are also able to produce on an industrial scale to help our customers bring new pharmaceutical products to market,” says Ronnie Van De Neste.

With these new laboratories, global markets are within the company’s reach. In fact, a dedicated laboratory enables the analysis of raw materials and finished products, with a view to obtaining the control certificates required for their sale on the various international markets.

“Innovation is a major challenge for the long-term future of our site in Europe”, he concludes.

Sources:

Lonza investit dans un nouveau centre de R & D à Colmar pour concevoir les médicaments du futur (lejournaldesentreprises.com)

Industrie pharmaceutique. Le groupe suisse Lonza a inauguré son centre d’innovation à Colmar (dna.fr)