Syntegon and Lyocontract: growing together

Demand for freeze-dried parenteral products in vials is increasing steadily. This also applies to contract manufacturer LYOCONTRACT, which has been producing in Ilsenburg, Germany, since 2012. On March 11, 2026, the company laid the foundation for one of the largest investments in its history with a groundbreaking ceremony: Around 50 million euros are planned for production expansion. LYOCONTRACT was joined by its Partner Syntegon who will equip the new facility with a complete line for filling and lyophilization.

Strategic partnership for further growth

“With the groundbreaking ceremony, we are paving the way for further growth,” said Dr. Tino Galgon, Managing Director of LYOCONTRACT. “Our goal is to establish LYOCONTRACT as a leading contract manufacturer for sterile freeze-dried products of the highest quality.” To this end, the facility will be equipped with new equipment step by step. The first line has already been planned, and delivery is scheduled for summer 2027. “With such an ambitious project, it is essential to have the right partners at our side. Syntegon will provide us with the complete line and handle the entire project from a single source,” Galgon underlined.

Seamless solutions from a single source

“Since merging the Syntegon and Telstar portfolios in October 2024, we have significantly expanded our offering and can now provide our customers with comprehensive lines with fewer interfaces and a single point of contact throughout the entire lifecycle of the line,” said Dr. Matthias Wagner, Managing Director of Syntegon Telstar, at the groundbreaking ceremony. “We are very proud that LYOCONTRACT has placed its trust in us and look forward to this partnership.”

Focus on Annex 1 compliance and flexibility

The new line will cover the entire process: In addition to the filling and closing machine with integrated isolator, it includes a loading and unloading system and a freeze-dryer. Several requirements were decisive. “We need a line that meets the regulatory requirements of EU GMP Annex 1 from the outset, offers the necessary flexibility in terms of products and container sizes, and ensures high performance with minimal downtime,” Galgon explained.

For Syntegon, it is the first vial project with integrated freeze-dryers in Germany and thus also an important milestone for further growth. “The feedback on the integration of Telstar has been very positive. Several new customer projects worldwide have already shown why a single partner makes a decisive difference, both in terms of cooperation and technological implementation,” Wagner said. “It is therefore all the more rewarding to now be able to demonstrate these capabilities together with LYOCONTRACT.”