New CDMO Meribel Pharma Solutions Launches with 13 Sites in Europe

An acquisition of the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Synerlab Group, combined with the securing of seven manufacturing sites in Europe formerly belonging to Recipharm, resulted on April 15, 2025 in the announcement of the launch of a new, mid-sized CDMO, Meribel Pharma Solutions, headquartered in the United Kingdom (1).

According to a press release issued by the new company, the Meribel moniker comes from the mountain range of the same name in the Alps, located in the Three Valleys region of France, which the company said signifies its ten manufacturing sites and three drug development services sites in France, Spain, and Sweden (1).

At launch, the Meribel Pharma Solutions leadership team includes CEO Bruce Vielle, formerly the president and CEO of Synerlab, and COO Steve Leonard, previously corporate vice president of Global Operations & Supply Chain at Integra Life Sciences (1).

“There is a gap in the market for a niche-player, mid-sized CDMO that’s focused, agile, and dedicated to solving complex challenges, and we are well positioned to fulfill this unmet need,” Vielle said in a press release from Meribel (1). “We have invested heavily in the latest technologies and expanded our capacity to meet the evolving needs of our customers. As a unified organization, our foundations are built on quality and reliability. We bring together greater resources, deeper expertise, and enhanced agility, enabling us to meet our customers' requirements better than ever before.”

In the press release, the company said it has established centers of excellence in drug development, lyophilization, preservative-free multidose technologies, and flexible stick-pack and sachet production, meant to support both human and veterinary health products while operating under stringent global regulatory certifications (1). The technical expertise Meribel said its team is prepared to deliver is built on experience in such areas as oral solid dose manufacturing, semi-solid dosage formulations, and sterile drug products.

“We're deeply committed to delivering the highest quality in everything we do,” Vielle said. “Our regulatory and quality experts work with our clients to help ensure their products exceed the most stringent standards. With certified sites and a shared focus on continuous improvement, we are set up to deliver exceptional results.”

As part of its coverage of the Drug, Chemical, and Associated Technologies Association (DCAT) Week 2025, Pharmaceutical Technology® interviewed Simon Wright, vice-president of Business Development for Almac Pharma Services, about recognizing the value of CDMOs (2).

“We're really seeing a desire for more of a strategic partnership versus maybe more of that traditional transaction relationship [from sponsor companies],” Wright said in the interview (2). “I truly believe that the evolution of sponsor CDMO relationships reflects how pharmaceutical companies recognize the value of CDMOs within their overall network and ecosystem. I think that the most strategic relationships today are characterized by strategic partnership approach where companies leverage specialist expertise and trust the CDMOs to assume greater responsibility and deliver substantial value.”

Click here for the full video interview with Wright.

Financially, Meribel Pharma Solutions said it is backed by Blue Wolf Capital Partners LLC, a middle-market private equity firm that specializes in the healthcare and industrial sectors (1).

References

1. Meribel Pharma Solutions. Meribel Pharma Solutions Launches with Big Ambitions to Elevate Pharma Services to New Heights. Press Release. April 15, 2025.
2. Thomas, F. DCAT Week 2025: Recognizing the Value of CDMOs. PharmTech.com, March 18, 2025.