Sandoz is investing approximately $300 million in a new biosimilars manufacturing facility in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The site is intended to expand the company’s manufacturing capabilities and complement its European network for development, production, and supply. The investment is part of the long-term “Bio100” strategy, through which Sandoz aims to significantly expand its biosimilars business. The new facility is scheduled to begin operations in 2029 and will support both clinical and commercial manufacturing. The plan calls for four fed-batch reactors using single-use technology. Together, they will provide an additional capacity of 8,000 liters.
Biosimilars are expected to account for a larger share of revenue in the long term
In conjunction with the investment decision, Sandoz outlined its long-term business goals at its Capital Markets Day in London. With “Bio100,” the company aims to have more than 100 biosimilars in its portfolio by 2040. Currently, there are 13. Starting in 2035, these products are also expected to cover approximately 80 percent of the value of active pharmaceutical ingredients relevant to Sandoz whose patent protection is expiring. According to the company, this share currently stands at about 50 percent. In the long term, biosimilars are expected to account for the majority of the company’s revenue. CEO Richard Saynor explained that Sandoz is entering its next phase of growth based on its existing global platform. With “Bio100,” the company aims to broaden access to more affordable medicines while simultaneously creating long-term economic value.
New production facility complements development center in Ljubljana
The planned facility will be built next to the already opened development center for biosimilars in Ljubljana. This proximity is intended to support technology transfer and accelerate the transition of development projects to larger-scale production. At the same time, Sandoz is expanding its European production network to include additional capacity for varying production volumes. Armin Metzger, President of Biosimilar Development, Manufacturing & Supply, views this as a complement to the existing manufacturing structure and an opportunity to manage capacity more flexibly in the future. The investment of approximately $300 million is in addition to previously announced investments in the development and manufacture of biosimilars in Slovenia.
Sandoz sets new growth targets for biosimilars
For the period from 2025 to 2030, Sandoz is targeting average annual revenue growth in the mid- to high-single-digit percentage range at constant exchange rates. The targets extend further to 2035. Compared to 2025, net sales are expected to more than double by then through “Bio100.” Sandoz is maintaining its existing medium-term outlook through 2028.
Production capacities as the foundation for “Bio100”
To implement its growth strategy, Sandoz is relying not only on its product pipeline but also on a scalable development, production, and supply network. The new facility in Ljubljana is intended to provide additional control over available capacity and support the upscaling of future products. By combining additional production capacity with a portfolio geared toward more than 100 products, Sandoz is placing biosimilars at the center of its long-term growth strategy. The expansion in Slovenia represents another building block within the European development and production network.
