DPx adds more biologics capacity to its contract manufacturing business

As Big Pharma gets bigger through acquisitions (like the recently announced Roche-InterMune deal), contract development and manufacturing orgnizations (CDMOs) are keeping pace. The latest merger is DPx Holdings’ purchase of Gallus Pharmaceuticals, headquartered in St. Louis. Gallus will be folded into the Patheon unit of DPx, which itself came together through the merger of Patheon and parts of DSM Fine Chemicals this spring.

Last year, Gallus had acquired Laureate Pharmaceuticals (which brought the Princeton facility). DSM brought a recent acquisition, Banner PharmaCaps, into the DPx unit. Private equity firms are driving some of this merging; Gallus is owned by Ridegmont Equity Partners; DPx is jointly owned by DSM, the Dutch chemicals and industrial products giant, and JLL Partners, with JLL as majority owner.

AT the time of the DPx formation, employment measured 8,000, in 24 locations worldwide. Gallus brings an additional 370 employees.