Bora Pharmaceuticals Unveils Multi-Year Expansion of Maple Grove Site as U.S. Growth Strategy Advances Post-Upsher-Smith Split
Bora Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (TWSE: 6472), a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has formally launched a multi-year investment plan to significantly expand its manufacturing and packaging capabilities at its facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota. This announcement marks a pivotal moment in the company’s North American strategy, following the official completion of its entity separation from Upsher-Smith Laboratories—a transition that took effect on August 5, 2025.
The move underscores Bora’s commitment to bolstering its U.S. operations and addressing rising demand for complex oral solid dose (OSD) drug development and commercial manufacturing. As the pharmaceutical industry increasingly gravitates toward advanced formulations and specialized delivery technologies, Bora is positioning itself to meet this demand by enhancing infrastructure, expanding technical capabilities, and growing its workforce in the U.S. market.
A Strategic Pivot: From Acquisition to Independence
The Maple Grove facility was part of Bora’s $210 million acquisition of Upsher-Smith Laboratories in 2024, a transaction that not only marked Bora’s most significant U.S. investment to date but also signaled its intent to become a dominant CDMO force in North America. With the legal and operational disentanglement from Upsher-Smith now finalized, Bora Pharma is free to fully integrate the site into its global manufacturing network and align its strategy around independent CDMO service offerings.
“This marks more than just a separation from a legacy brand—it’s the beginning of a bold new chapter for Bora CDMO in the United States,” said J.D. Mowery, President of Bora Pharmaceuticals’ CDMO division. “With pharmaceutical companies increasingly relying on external partners for end-to-end support, our enhanced Maple Grove facility offers a premier solution for innovators needing both technical depth and scalable manufacturing space.”
According to Mowery, the growing complexity of oral drug formulations—combined with a broader industry trend of transitioning biologic and large molecule assets into oral dosage forms—has created an urgent need for advanced OSD capabilities. Bora Pharma’s Minnesota site is being modernized and expanded precisely to meet this emerging market demand.
Multi-Phase Expansion Plan Anchored by Advanced Equipment and Infrastructure
The company’s immediate priority is the installation of a Gerteis Macro-Pactor® roller compactor, which is slated to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2025. This state-of-the-art dry granulation equipment is tailored for the efficient processing of high-potency and moisture-sensitive compounds, addressing key challenges in contemporary OSD production.
The Gerteis system represents the first investment in a multi-phase development plan to activate 100,000 square feet of currently unused shell space at the Maple Grove facility. Once built out, the space will be transformed into additional suites for commercial manufacturing, high-volume packaging, analytical laboratories, and technical transfer operations. These enhancements will significantly increase the site’s ability to handle both clinical and commercial-scale projects across a wide array of therapeutic categories.
“Our expansion is about more than equipment—it’s about creating a highly flexible, integrated manufacturing platform that can evolve with our clients’ needs,” said Dennis Hall, Vice President and General Manager of the Maple Grove site. “We’re building the infrastructure to deliver seamless tech transfer, end-to-end packaging, and accelerated development timelines, all from a site that meets the most stringent global quality standards.”
End-to-End Capabilities Positioned for Innovation and Growth
The Maple Grove facility currently features FDA-inspected manufacturing lines, robust quality control laboratories, and a dedicated formulation development team. As part of the expansion, Bora Pharma is enhancing its offerings across the entire pharmaceutical value chain—from early-stage R&D and clinical trial material production to commercial scale-up and lifecycle management.
The site’s development group is equipped to support complex formulation strategies, such as controlled-release systems, multiparticulate technologies, fixed-dose combinations, and taste-masked products. The analytical development team, meanwhile, is tasked with method development, validation, and stability testing in full alignment with global regulatory requirements, including those from the FDA, EMA, and other major health authorities.
By embedding both product and analytical development services into the same site, Bora Pharma aims to reduce development timelines, improve tech transfer reliability, and minimize regulatory risk for its clients.
“Our strategy is to operate as an integrated partner from molecule to market,” said Mowery. “We don’t just manufacture tablets—we support scientific innovation, regulatory alignment, and long-term product viability. That’s the value proposition we’re delivering from Maple Grove.”
Strong Commercial Pipeline and Market Momentum
Even before the current expansion was officially unveiled, Bora Pharma had already secured multiple multi-million-dollar development and commercial supply contracts from pharmaceutical clients seeking to leverage its advanced OSD capabilities. These contracts span both U.S. and international markets and cover a diverse range of therapeutic areas, including neurology, infectious diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and rare diseases.
The surge in client demand is driven by Bora’s reputation for on-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery performance—an increasingly critical metric in the post-pandemic pharmaceutical supply chain landscape. With global CDMO capacity under pressure and timelines tightening for new drug approvals, clients are looking to partners like Bora Pharma that offer both technical sophistication and reliable operational execution.
“Quality, reliability, and scalability are non-negotiable in today’s environment,” said Hall. “Our customers know they can count on us for consistent supply, exceptional service, and solutions that adapt to their evolving needs. That’s what sets Bora apart.”
Workforce Development and Local Economic Impact
As Bora Pharma ramps up its investment in Maple Grove, it is also committing to local workforce development initiatives aimed at recruiting, retaining, and training pharmaceutical talent in Minnesota. The company plans to significantly grow its site headcount over the next several years, adding positions in engineering, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, manufacturing, and research and development.
“We see Maple Grove as a long-term hub for pharmaceutical innovation and manufacturing excellence,” said Hall. “Minnesota offers an incredible talent pool, and we’re committed to being a great employer, collaborator, and community partner.”
Bora is working with local universities, technical colleges, and workforce development agencies to create new training pipelines for advanced manufacturing and pharmaceutical sciences. These efforts will support not only the company’s talent needs but also broader economic development goals in the region.
Global Strategy Anchored in Regional Strength
While the Maple Grove expansion is currently Bora Pharma’s most visible U.S. project, it forms part of a much larger global strategy. The company operates multiple manufacturing sites in Taiwan and Canada and has built a reputation for excellence in contract development, regulatory compliance, and customer service across Asia, North America, and Europe.
Bora’s global capabilities include high-containment manufacturing, complex oral dosage forms, and serialization-enabled packaging lines for global supply. With its Maple Grove site now fully integrated into this international network, Bora can offer customers global reach with local execution.
“Our global network allows us to de-risk supply chains and offer business continuity for clients with global distribution needs,” explained Mowery. “By combining world-class technology in Minnesota with our broader footprint, we’re delivering unmatched value to our partners.”
Innovation, Partnership, and Growth
As Bora Pharma continues to expand and evolve, its leadership team remains focused on strategic partnerships, technological advancement, and delivering measurable outcomes for clients. The Maple Grove expansion reflects not just a response to market conditions but a forward-looking vision for what CDMO collaboration can look like in the next decade.
“Innovation in drug delivery is accelerating, and Bora Pharma is committed to staying ahead of that curve,” said Mowery. “We’re investing in the future—of science, of patient access, and of pharmaceutical manufacturing.”
The Bora Pharma company’s enhanced capabilities, combined with its proven reliability and regulatory track record, make it an increasingly attractive partner for pharmaceutical companies seeking to de-risk development and accelerate timelines.
