History Company Overview Our History Visit the Lonza 120-year anniversary website. 1897 Foundation of Lonza AG Electricity Works in Gampel, Valais (Switzerland), on the banks of river Lonza. The electricity was used to manufacture calcium carbide and acetylene. 1909 Lonza moves to Visp and manufactures synthetic fertilizers out of nitrogen, ammonia and calcium carbide. Production of nitric acid begins. 1947 Production of ketene and diketene starts. 1965 Change of the raw material base from carbide to naphtha and further development of backwards integration: intermediates and additives for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, dyestuffs, colours, adhesives, etc. 1969 Lonza expands to the USA and starts its business with chemical specialties. 1971 Start of production of niacin, a vitamin of the B-group. 1974 Merger with Alusuisse and development into an internationally operating enterprise. 1980 Lonza starts its biotechnological business. 1982 Start of exclusive manufacturing of substances for pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies. 1992 Lonza acquires a biotechnological production facility (fermentation) in the Czech Republic. 1996 In Guangzhou (CN) a joint venture is signed to build up a niacinamide plant primarily to satisfy the regional market needs. Lonza acquires Celltech Biologics (UK and USA) and expands into the business with mammalian cell cultures and monoclonal antibodies. 1999 Lonza is de-merged from the Alusuisse-Lonza Group and listed as an independent company at the Swiss stock exchange. 2004 Lonza starts up three 20,000-liter mammalian cell culture fermentation reactors in Portsmouth, NH (USA), the biggest single investment in its history. 2005 Lonza announces a significant investment program in the expansion of its peptides manufacturing capacities in its production site in Visp (CH). 2006 Lonza carries out a series of strategic transactions aimed at transforming the company into one of the world’s leading suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients, biopharmaceuticals and research products to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life-science industries. Acquisition of Bioproducts manufacturing division of UCB (Braine-L’Alleud, BE) positions Lonza as a leading global provider of peptides to the biopharmaceutical market. Lonza acquires Arabinogalactan business assets from Larex Inc. The fourth 20,000-liter bioreactor in Portsmouth, NH (USA) came on stream. IPO of Polynt S.p.A., Lonza’s Polymer Intermediates business. Lonza retains a minority stake in Polynt. The fourth 20’000-liter bioreactor in Portsmouth, NH (USA) came on stream. Lonza announces the acquisition of the complementary Bioproducts and Biopharma businesses from Cambrex to further enhance Lonza’s capability to service the needs of the high-growth life sciences R&D and pharmaceutical development industries. The acquisition also expands Lonza’s geographical footprint, particularly in the United States. Agreement with Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies, to acquire mid-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing operation in Porriño (ES), providing significant manufacturing capacity two years earlier than planned. In addition, Lonza will build and start up a large-scale mammalian biopharmaceutical facility in Singapore, which Genentech will have an exclusive option to buy upon U.S. FDA licensure. In parallel, Lonza will build its own planned large-scale (4 x 20,000-liter) biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Singapore. 2007 Lonza announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Research Bioproducts business and the Microbial Biopharmaceutical business of the U.S. company Cambrex, published in October 2006. Lonza announced the acquisition of the assets of S.A.M. Electron Technologies based in Shawinigan (CA). The acquisition of these assets is concurrent with an exclusive worldwide license for a cerium mediator electrochemical technology (CeTECH™) from Hydro-Québec and lease agreement with the City of Shawinigan. Lonza finalized the divestiture of its purified isophthalic acid plant in Singapore. 2008 Lonza finalizes the selling of the majority of its shares in Polynt S.p.A. Lonza completes the acquisition of Amaxa. The acquisition of Amaxa is in line with Lonza’s strategy of growing its life-science platform. Amaxa is a premium supplier to the cell discovery market with leading edge, proprietary technologies in well-defined market niches of transfection systems. 2009 Teva and Lonza announced their agreement to establish a joint venture to develop, manufacture and market a portfolio of biosimilars. Lonza strengthens its protein design technology offering for biopharmaceutical development by acquiring Algonomics NV (Gent, BE). Lonza expands its cell-biology platform by acquiring Simbiosys Biowares’ preclinical cell and molecular biology group. 2010 Lonza expands its capacities for Carnipure™ and Carniking™ by investing in a new manufacturing facility for L-carnitine products in Nansha (CN). Lonza invests in new plant for vitamin B3 (nicotinates) in Nansha (CN). Lonza Group Lp acquires MODA Technology Partners, a software company that provides paperless quality control solutions. The acquisition will strengthen the Rapid Testing Solutions platform of Lonza’s Bioscience division by adding a complementary product offering for quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) organizations in the life-science industry. Lonza acquires viral vaccine and vector manufacturer Vivante GMP Solutions. The acquisition advances Lonza’s strategy to broaden its biologics custom service offering for the growing viral vaccine and gene therapy markets. Lonza signs agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to secure capacity and expertise in biological manufacturing to support ongoing development of GSK’s biopharmaceuticals portfolio. Thereby, Lonza will supply manufacturing capacity for five early-stage monoclonal antibodies. Lonza acquires biotech service provider Algonomics, a contract research organization providing integrated immunogenicity prediction services to support companies in the development of biotherapeutics. 2011 Lonza invests £16 million to further develop the flexibility and capability of its Slough (UK) biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility to respond to a broader range of customer projects and strengthen its global network of biologics development and manufacturing. Lonza plans to invest CHF 24 million to expand cytotoxic manufacturing capabilities in Visp (CH) to serve growing oncology API market. Cytotoxic APIs are commonly used in oncology therapeutics, which represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the pharma and biotech industry. Lonza expands its viral-based therapeutics business with the construction of a new, state-of-the-art cGMP clean room located adjacent to its existing Houston, TX (USA) operations. Lonza is investing CHF 10 million to expand its biopharmaceutical development services platform in Singapore (SG) to meet increasing demand for biopharma development services from preclinical to commercial. Lonza invests CHF 5.8 million in a formulation plant for Meta™ metaldehyde to enable Lonza to supply its own formulations and allow the company to serve the market not only with metaldehyde as an active substance, but also with ready-made slug pellets. Lonza celebrates 40 years as leading producer of vitamin B3. Since 1971 Lonza has supplied more than half the world’s demand for vitamin B3 in the human and animal health nutrition industries. Lonza and global regenerative medicine company Mesoblast Limited enter into a strategic alliance for clinical and long-term commercial production of Mesoblast’s off-the-shelf (allogeneic) adult stem cell products. Lonza acquires Arch Chemicals, Inc., a global biocides company providing innovative solutions to destroy or to selectively inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms, to create the world’s leading microbial control business. The combined businesses will be able to develop innovative microbial control formulations based on a broad portfolio of registered and approved active ingredients. Lonza Group Lp (SIX stock code: LONN VX; SGX-ST stock code: O6Z) makes its trading debut on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (“SGX-ST”) on 21 October 2011 and consequently is the first SIX Swiss-listed company to dual list in Singapore. Lonza to expand early-phase manufacturing capacity at its site in Nansha, China, to serve small molecules market. 2012 Lonza builds “Factory of Tomorrow” with investments in continuous flow and microreactor technology. The manufacturing concept offers increased flexibility and capacity for production that uses continuous flow and microreactor technologies and will be established at its Visp, Switzerland site. Lonza announces successful completion of new GMP suite for growing viral vaccine and gene therapy business. The flexibly designed clean room supports viral-based GMP manufacturing projects of up to 2,000 liter working volumes using state-of-the-art disposable manufacturing technologies. Lonza signs definitive agreement for the sale of Brandenburg, KY (USA) Performance Urethanes and Organics business to Monument Chemical. Lonza and Sartorius Stedim Biotech enter collaboration, supply and distribution agreement in the field of cell culture media, in which Sartorius Stedim Biotech assumes global sales and marketing of media and buffer solutions for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Lonza will continue to manufacture all media products. 2013 Lonza to invest CHF 14 million to expand antibody drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing capacity in Visp, Switzerland to meet growing customer demand. Lonza adapts its management structure to focus on target markets and improve profitability. In alignment with Lonza markets, the current Custom Manufacturing and Bioscience sectors will be regrouped into one Pharma&Biotech segment. Microbial Control and Life Science Ingredients will be regrouped into a Specialty Ingredients segment. Lonza awarded Contract to Generate Research Grade iPSCs by the National Institutes of Health Center for Regenerative Medicine. 2014 Bristol-Myers Squibb and Lonza expand manufacturing agreement. The contract expansion will include the production of commercial quantities of a second Bristol-Myers Squibb biologic medicine at Lonza’s mammalian manufacturing facility in Portsmouth, NH (USA). Lonza signs exclusive agreement with Index Ventures for the development and manufacture of biologics for portfolio companies. Lonza extends partnership with Pharmacyclics to support manufacturing of recently approved oncology therapeutic, IMBRUVICA™. Lonza invests in single-use technology and facility upgrades for clinical antibody drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing in Visp (CH). Second large-scale ADC facility in Visp started up as scheduled. Lonza celebrates opening of niacinamide plant in Nansha (CN). Lonza and Celladon Corporation establish a strategic commercial manufacturing collaboration for MYDICAR®. 2015 Lonza signs a long-term manufacturing supply agreement with Alexion, under which Lonza will construct and launch a new suite dedicated to Alexion in Portsmouth, NH (USA). Lonza acquires Zelam, a research-focused chemical company based in New Zealand that develops and manufactures products for wood protection and crop protection. 2016 Lonza expanded single-use manufacturing capacity in its Slough (UK) facility. Lonza acquired Triangle Research Lab, a hepatocyte provider based in North Carolina (USA). Lonza acquired InterHealth Nutraceuticals, based in Benicia, CA (USA), which is a leader in research, development, manufacture and marketing of proprietary, value-added nutritional ingredients for use in dietary supplements. 2017 Lonza and Sanofi entered into a strategic partnership to establish a large-scale biologics production facility. Lonza completed acquisition of Capsugel to create leading integrated solutions provider to the global pharma and consumer healthcare and nutrition industries. 2018 Lonza expands Ibex™ Solutions to offer complete product lifecycle management in one location. Lonza opens world’s largest dedicated cell- and gene- therapy manufacturing facility in Houston, TX (USA). Lonza breaks ground on expanded manufacturing facility for nutritional offerings in Greenwood, SC (USA). Lonza expands Portsmouth, NH (USA) site, including mid-scale biologics. Lonza establishes strategic biomanufacturing base in Guangzhou (CN). 2019 Lonza divested Water Care business to Platinum Equity . Lonza announced start of carve-out of Lonza Specialty Ingredients. Lonza expanded HPAPI development and manufacturing capacity. Lonza acquired sterile fill and finish facility in Stein (CH) from Novartis. Lonza expanded bioconjugation facility and announces approval of third commercial ADC. Chr. Hansen and Lonza’s newly branded joint venture, BacThera, receives anti-trust approvals to start contract manufacturing of live biotherapeutic products. Agreement signed for Lonza's Ibex™ Solutions in Visp (CH) to support Genmab's growing clinical portfolio. 2020 Lonza entered into a landmark ten-year collaboration agreement with Moderna Inc. to manufacture the drug substance for Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine, alongside other mRNA-based collaboration projects from Moderna’s innovation pipeline. Lonza’s Board of Directors reviewed strategic options for the long-term future of Specialty Ingredients (LSI) business and decided to divest the LSI segment via a sale process. Lonza announced that its Ibex® Dedicate facility will support the commercial manufacture of Kodiak’s KSI-301 - an Antibody Biopolymer Conjugate (ABC) for retinal diseases. Lonza expanded its microbial manufacturing facility in Visp (CH) and extended the long-term partnership with Servier for L-asparaginase API manufacturing. The first patient was treated at Sheba Medical Center (IL) with an autologous CAR-T therapy, manufactured using the Cocoon® Platform. Lonza announced an expansion of its capsule manufacturing capacity. Lonza announced an agreement to manufacture AstraZeneca's COVID-19 long-acting antibody combination. Lonza announced the construction of two new customer-dedicated conjugation suites for the commercialization of ADC in Ibex® Dedicate, Visp (CH). 2021 Lonza was recognized by Ethisphere® as one of the world's most ethical companies in 2021. Lonza announced the construction of a new small molecule manufacturing complex at its Visp (CH) site. Lonza announced significant investments to expand its mammalian drug substance manufacturing facilities in Visp (CH) and Portsmouth (US). Lonza extended its collaboration with Moderna in Netherlands and Switzerland. Lonza completed divestment of Specialty Ingredients business and operations to Bain Capital and Cinven. 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