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10 years Pivot Park: Ardena

Ten years ago, Gerjan Kemperman expected that the demand for CDMO services would increase enormously. So when the R&D activities left Oss in 2012, he and a colleague started the company ChemConnection at Pivot Park to ‘fill the gap’ and offer development and manufacturing services of active pharmaceutical ingredients to biotech companies. A good decision as his company, nowadays called Ardena, has grown rapidly.

CDMO services is a flourishing market

“Ardena is a Customer Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) – and facilitates companies that aim to test their new experimental drug in clinical trials,” says Kemperman. “When a new drug candidate is discovered in a lab, it’s usually only available in small quantities. We look at ways of making larger quantities and then produce the quantities required by our clients.”

“In addition, Ardena investigates how the drug can be administered, for example in a capsule or tablet, referred to as the ‘formulation’, and produces the required quantities of the formulation for clinical trials. We also write the regulatory dossier, detailing the manufacturing process and analytical controls for both the API and the formulation. Lastly, we provide bioanalytical support to our customers, thus analysis of the blood, urine and faeces samples from patients participating in the clinical trial.”

The demand for Ardena’s specialised services has increased significantly. This has enabled Ardena to achieve double digit growth figures over the past decade. Ardena’s client base comprises of biotech companies as well as midsized and large pharmaceutical companies.

Kemperman continues, “In 2012, I started ChemConnection together with Ferry Brands, one of my former colleagues from Organon/MSD. At Pivot Park we basically found everything we needed to make a quick start, including labs and specialist equipment. This enabled us an ultra-fast start. Pivot Park offered our small start-up credibility and a much better appearance than if we had started on a generic industry park. ChemConnection grew at lightning speed and by 2018 we had over 70 employees. It was then that we decided to sell ChemConnection to Ardena, a company of around 120 employees that was offering fully complementary services. I reinvested and became shareholder of Ardena where I am currently the COO.”

Ardena has continued to grow strongly both organically and through acquisitions. The company currently has locations in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Latvia employing over 500 people. The Ardena site at Pivot Park has 110 employees. “We’re looking to expand considerably and also in Oss we are currently realizing new laboratory and production facilities to continue our growth. This way we can continue to make an important contribution to Global Health!”

 

Ardena is a CDMO, offering development and manufacturing services and bioanalysis to support companies that aim to investigate new drugs in clinical trials. The company has grown rapidly over the past decade, both organically and through acquisitions. Ardena is headquartered in Belgium, and also has sites in the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Latvia. Ardena employs approximately 500 people, of which 110 work at the Pivot Park site.

Are you ready to make your mark and improve global health together as an innovator or as a service provider in the park? Join our community

Pivot Park Captains' Dinner

10 years ago, Pivot Park opened its doors to the world. Thanks to your commitment, support and confidence, we have been able to grow it into the successful and innovative biopharmaceutical campus it is today.

Now it’s time to celebrate!

We are therefore delighted to invite you – along with all your fellow CEOs at Pivot Park – to a special night out featuring inspiring art, a wonderful dinner and lots of opportunities to network and exchange ideas.

Erwin Wurm | Am I a House?

For the first time, the artist shows a cross-section of his work, from Narrow Furniture to One Minute Sculptures, within the walls of a historic building. Villa Constance, a former home that today houses Museum Jan Cunen, is not only a location but also part of the conversation. Because what exactly is a house?

#100YEARSPHARMAFUTURE

The development of medicines in Oss began one hundred years ago. It was then that the foundations were laid for what would become a flourishing pharmaceutical sector in the Netherlands, leading to groundbreaking discoveries such as insulin and the anti-conception pill.

Today, the entire chain is still represented in Oss, from early-stage research to the commercial scale production of medicines. Working in Oss, we focus on the health of people all over the world. Employees at dozens of companies large and small put their heart and soul into new medicines, products and services that will improve lives worldwide. Together, our strength lies in our combination of broad knowledge about the development of medicines and a thorough understanding of the requirements of high-quality production.

This shared past and common values stimulate strong bonds among everyone who works in pharmaceuticals in Oss. We build on qualities, expertise and networks that go back decades. And with a wide variety of pharmaceutical companies, suppliers and scientific institutions all located nearby, we offer an attractive business climate and an excellent basis for international collaboration.

We are proud to work together to create a better and healthier future for all, a collaboration that in turn fuels growing employment: today, most pharmaceutical jobs in the Netherlands are in Oss. Here we connect talent and companies and stimulate entrepreneurship, while our expert employees are our most important asset. Their drive ensures that Oss has an influence on health all over the world.

Pharma in Oss offers endless opportunities to startups and talent in a city and region that is a joy to live and work in. We are committed to collaboration and sustainable and successful entrepreneurship. Oss’s pharmaceutical companies are intrinsically competitive while also being committed to quality and safety. This, plus their focus on new health solutions and contemporary technology, makes us a leader in our pursuit of a better life for people worldwide.