What Olon Is Building for Complex Therapy Manufacturing in 2026

At DCAT Week 2026 in New York, Olon is presenting its 2026 development plan, which spans investments across four countries: the United States, India, Italy, and France.1 The plan offers a detailed picture of where the company is directing its capacity and capabilities over the coming year.

Paolo Tubertini, chief executive officer, Olon, said in a press release,1 "Our strategy is focused on expanding capabilities that are critical for the development of complex therapies and sustainable manufacturing, combining innovation with operational excellence across key technology platforms."

Where Are the Most Significant Capacity Changes Happening?

The expansion with the clearest near-term implications for drug development teams is in France, at the Saint-Julien site, where a new bioprocess development suite is nearing completion.1 The facility is designed to support upstream and downstream development and scale-up of recombinant proteins, including monoclonal antibodies in complex formats and antibody–drug conjugates. A multi-purpose suite at the same site will double bioconjugation capacity, supporting both clinical and commercial manufacture.

This investment connects directly to earlier infrastructure work at the Rodano site in Italy, where Olon has developed payload and linker synthesis capabilities.1 Together, the two sites are intended to cover the full manufacturing chain for antibody, drug conjugates, from toxin and payload production through conjugation and final drug substance. The ability to manage that entire sequence within a single organization reduces coordination risk and simplifies regulatory documentation.

Maurizio Sartorato, vice president of the BioTech Division, Olon, noted in the press release,1 "The expansion of capabilities across multiple sites, together with the progress at Saint-Julien and the continued strengthening of our operations in Italy, supports greater flexibility in managing development and scale-up activities for complex therapies."

In Italy more broadly, current investments target high-potency API manufacturing and chemical synthesis, alongside an expansion of microbial fermentation capacity to support biologics and complex therapy programs.1 These are areas where manufacturing slot availability and technical depth remain frequent constraints for development organizations, particularly those moving candidates from phase II into late-stage or commercial production.

In India, the focus is on expanding API production capacity to strengthen supply continuity, a consideration that has taken on renewed importance for companies managing global supply chains.1 In the US, Olon is directing resources toward scale-up and integrated manufacturing capabilities, reinforcing its footprint for clients who require domestic or nearshore options as part of their supply strategy.

The 2026 plan also encompasses investments in sustainable protein production and green biocatalysis, areas increasingly relevant to organizations whose development pipelines intersect with regulatory and corporate expectations around environmental performance.1 These are not peripheral initiatives; they are being pursued at industrial scale, reflecting a practical rather than aspirational approach to greener manufacturing processes.

How Does Olon's Sustainability Work Connect to Its Manufacturing Strategy?

The green biocatalysis work referenced in Olon's 2026 plan has taken a concrete form through a recently announced partnership with myBIOS, an Austrian biotechnology company specializing in methanol-free Pichia pastoris fermentation.2 Conventional recombinant protein production using this microorganism relies on methanol induction. This process typically carries safety, regulatory, and environmental complications. The collaboration introduces myBIOS' myPichia platform, which replaces methanol with non-toxic inducers while maintaining comparable protein yields. This translates to simpler regulatory documentation and reduced site safety requirements during fermentation. Olon brings over 30 years of recombinant protein production experience to the partnership, providing the industrial infrastructure needed to move the platform beyond laboratory scale.

References

1. Olon SpA. Olon advance global expansion and sustainable biomanufacturing expertise at DCAT New York. Rodano (MI, Italy): Olon SpA; 2026. Press release.
2. Olon SpA. Olon and myBIOS partner to advance sustainable methanol-free protein production. Rodano (MI, Italy): Olon SpA; [cited 2026 Mar 24]. Available from: https://olonspa.com/news/olon-and-mybios-partner-to-advance-sustainable-methanol-free-protein-production/