Granules India to acquire Senn Chemicals AG for ₹192 crore

Granules India has inked a pact to acquire Senn Chemicals AG, a Swiss-based Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) specialising in peptides for ₹192 crore.

“The acquisition of Senn Chemicals AG marks a significant milestone in Granules’ strategic growth journey. By entering the rapidly growing peptide therapeutics segment and acquiring CDMO capabilities, we are expanding into next-generation therapeutics that align with our commitment to innovation and affordability,’‘ Krishna Prasad Chigurupati, Chairman & Managing Director, Granules India said on Friday. 

“Senn’s expertise in peptide synthesis, coupled with our large-scale, cost-efficient manufacturing capabilities, positions us to deliver high-quality peptide-based solutions globally. This acquisition is a pivotal moment in our vision to transform Granules into a science and innovation-led organisation and become a trusted partner in complex and specialised therapeutics,’‘ he added. 

Rico Wiedenbruch, Chairman, Senn Chemicals AG, said: “With Granules’ scale, operational efficiency, and global reach in pharmaceuticals industry, we see strategic fit and tremendous potential to accelerate our growth and expand our capabilities in rapidly growing peptide therapeutics.’‘

Senn develops and manufactures peptides and peptides-based applications for its global customers, providing contract research, development, and manufacturing services. 

Manufacturing capability

The acquisition, which is expected to close in the first half of 2025, brings Senn’s expertise in Liquid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS) and Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS) to Granules along with a strong CDMO business and established customer relationship, including innovators and brand owners across Pharma, Cosmetics, Amino Acid Derivatives (AAD) & theragnostic segments, the company said. 

Senn’s manufacturing facility is regularly inspected and approved for cGMP production by Swissmedic. Under the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between Swissmedic and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cGMP inspections conducted by Swissmedic are recognized by the FDA. 

The acquisition aligns with Granules’ vision to enter the rapidly expanding peptide-based anti-diabetic and anti-obesity market, including GLP-1 receptor agonists and other next-generation therapeutics. 

Granules and Senn have been developing two GLP-1 based APIs, and both projects are progressing well, and more peptide-based APIs are planned to be added in the portfolio, to be developed using Senn’s R&D capabilities. 

“With this transaction, Granules will leverage Senn’s European presence and innovation-driven peptide platform to accelerate its CDMO expansion and meet the fast-growing demand for Amino Acid Derivative (AAD), peptide fragments, and peptide-based therapeutics,’‘ the Hyderabad-based company said in a release.