ten23 health is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) specializing in sterile injectable medicines, offering formulation development, sterile fill-finish manufacturing, and quality control testing, with a focus on complex biologics and drug-device combination products.
What made you personally transition from pharma to the CDMO industry?
I am a pharmacist by training, and my work at Merck and Roche was closely tied to my purpose of making an impact in healthcare. During my time at both companies, I collaborated extensively with CDMO partners, but I often found that they were primarily focused on executing tasks rather than providing expertise and guidance. Many of them had the hands and the infrastructure but lacked the deep knowledge required to expand healthcare options.
My transition into the CDMO space in 2015 was driven by the belief that I could contribute by building a CDMO that stood out through its expertise and knowledge. My vision was to create an organization that acts as both the brain and the hands, rather than merely a service provider executing predefined tasks.
I have always been driven by the desire to challenge the status quo and explore new possibilities. In pharma, there are many established norms—like the assumption that only 1-2 milliliters can be injected subcutaneously—which I have always questioned. With ten23 health, my mission is to not only support our customers in defining, developing, and commercializing their products but also to introduce new ways of working and create a sustainable, impact-driven organization.
So, in concrete terms, how is ten23 health different from traditional CDMOs?
Our company name, ten23 health, is inspired by the Avogadro constant, symbolizing precision and scientific excellence. We are a sterile medicine CDMO focused on injectable products. We specialize in developing formulations, manufacturing sterile fill-finish, and conducting quality control testing, which sets us apart from many traditional CMOs that focus primarily on manufacturing.
Our unique value lies in our integrated approach. Many sterile manufacturing CMOs lack formulation and process development expertise, which often forces pharma companies to seek external support when issues arise. This is where we come in—pharma companies frequently approach us even when they are working with another CMO because they need our deep knowledge to address challenges. Additionally, we focus on biologics and complex formulations, such as high-viscosity products for subcutaneous or intraocular administration, helping our customers navigate regulatory complexities and technical hurdles.
You mentioned a shift toward self-treatment. Is ten23 health driving this innovation, or do pharmaceutical companies lead the way?
It is a combination of both. Innovation in healthcare happens through partnerships, and we work closely with pharma companies and device manufacturers to enable self-treatment solutions. In some cases, pharma companies approach us with an existing device and ask us to fill the cartridge. In others, they seek our expertise to develop an entirely new drug-device combination platform.
For example, some companies want to transition treatments from infusion centers—where patients must travel long distances and spend hours receiving treatment—to self-administration at home using an auto-injector. This shift significantly improves patients’ quality of life and transforms the treatment paradigm. Given the complexity of modern drug delivery devices, these projects often require deep collaboration and technical problem-solving, which is where our expertise plays a crucial role.
How global is the company’s client base?
We have a global presence. Our clients include companies from the US, Europe, and Asia, ranging from biotech startups in early funding stages to large pharmaceutical corporations. This international reach allows us to support diverse projects and adapt to the varying regulatory landscapes across different markets.
Can you share details about your recent facility expansion in Switzerland?
We operate two locations in Switzerland—one in Basel and one in Visp. Our Basel facility focuses on development, and we have recently built a quality control lab, which has now achieved GMP certification. This expansion enhances our ability to support our clients with comprehensive quality testing.
In Visp, we have been expanding our sterile manufacturing capacity. We built a new facility, VIVA2, which was inaugurated last year. This facility includes additional sterile production lines to increase our manufacturing scale. As pharma companies shift toward smaller, more specialized batch sizes—especially for rare disease treatments—we are expanding our capabilities to accommodate both small-scale and large-scale production efficiently.
How do you see the future of the CDMO industry, given pending supply chain challenges and changing geopolitical landscapes?
The world needs CDMOs, and recent crises—such as the COVID-19 pandemic—have highlighted the importance of resilient supply chains. Governments and pharma companies initially responded by seeking local production capabilities, but there has been less sustained action in this area than I would have hoped.
From an economic perspective, large pharma companies must recognize that consolidating production into well-utilized CDMO assets is often more efficient than maintaining underutilized in-house facilities. The increasing diversity of modalities—from bispecifics and gene therapy to oligonucleotides—makes it difficult for any one company to handle everything alone. The future of the industry will be defined by strategic partnerships between pharma companies and specialized CDMOs to meet these evolving needs.
Where do you see ten23 health in three years?
Our goal is to make a meaningful impact. We want to be a preferred partner for complex sterile formulations and drug-device combination products. More importantly, we hope to inspire change in the industry—whether in sustainability initiatives or in redefining how CDMOs operate.
We will continue to expand our capabilities, ensuring that we provide high-quality, innovative solutions for our clients. Our focus will remain on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in sterile manufacturing while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability and operational excellence. We aim to be at the forefront of industry transformation, setting new benchmarks for expertise, quality, and impact.
