Precision Fermentation CDMO

Global expertise in fermentation-based production - from strain development to commercial scale

Evonik is a global leader in microbial fermentation, offering contract manufacturing services for pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and biomaterial applications. With over 40 years of experience, we help companies produce high-quality ingredients and chemical components using sustainable, scalable, and innovative fermentation technologies.

With more than 4,000 m³ of fermentation capacity across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, we’re equipped to support your project – no matter the scale or complexity.

Our service portfolio around precision fermentation:

Microbial Fermentation Expertise Across Organisms and Product Classes

Evonik supports a wide range of fermentation-based projects across industries. Our expertise includes:

Amino acids and non-natural derivatives
Secondary metabolites
Natural substances
Fatty acids and lipid derivatives (e.g., sphingosines, glycolipids)

We also work with whole organisms such as probiotics and whole-cell catalysts, using strains like Streptomyces, yeast, fungi, and algae. Our enzyme toolbox includes over 20 platforms, many of which are used as whole-cell catalysts.

Advanced OMICS technologies - genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics - support rational strain development and help eliminate bottlenecks in production.

A Holistic Process for Scale-Up from Pilot to Commercial Volumes

Evonik’s global contract manufacturing network includes six fermentation sites across Europe, the U.S., and Asia. We offer:

Development from microtiter plates to 5,000-liter bioreactors
Commercial production in bioreactors up to 250 m³
A new pilot facility in Slovakia with advanced upstream/downstream processing units

Capabilities include:

Solid-liquid and liquid-liquid separation
Micro-, ultra-, and nanofiltration
Cell disruption, evaporation, crystallization, lyophilization

This infrastructure ensures a robust supply chain and smooth transition from development to market.

Why Partner with Evonik on a Precision Fermentation Process?

Choosing Evonik means choosing a partner with:

Decades of experience in fermentation-based production
Proven success in scaling complex bioprocesses
Global contract manufacturing infrastructure
Deep understanding of regulatory and quality requirements
Expertise in strain development, process optimization, and downstream processing
A reliable supply chain for sourcing raw materials and delivering finished products

Whether you're developing a new chemical component, scaling a drug substance, or launching a novel food ingredient, Evonik provides the tools and expertise to make your vision a reality.

Fermentation Solutions for Advanced Foods and Biofabrication

Evonik applies its pharmaceutical-grade fermentation expertise to emerging sectors such as:

Advanced food ingredients
Cosmetics
Nature-identical materials (e.g., biofabricated leather, spider silk)

These applications often require precision strain engineering and scalable contract manufacturing. We help innovators bring sustainable, high-quality products to market with confidence.

News

September 14, 2026

Health Care

Evonik breaks ground on biotechnology expansion in Slovakia

Evonik has broken ground on a new biotechnology expansion project at its Fermas site in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia. This marks the next major milestone in the approximately EUR 80 million investment to expand Evonik’s biotechnology capabilities and strengthen its contract manufacturing services for the company’s drug substance business.

July 08, 2026

Health Care

Evonik invests US$100 million to upgrade its U.S. drug substance contract manufacturing site

Evonik is making a significant investment to strengthen manufacturing capabilities at its Lafayette (Tippecanoe), Indiana facility. Over the next five years, the company will invest US$100 million to modernize key equipment – including 100 m³ reactors and other critical systems – enhancing reliability, enabling greater automation, and improving ergonomics and efficiency.

April 22, 2026

Health Care

Evonik strengthens biotechnology capabilities for drug substance manufacturing with new investment in Slovakia

Evonik is investing around EUR 80 million to expand its biotechnology capabilities at its Fermas site in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia. The investment will add state-of-the-art downstream fermentation technology to support the contract manufacturing services of the group’s drug substance business. The expansion will create approximately 50 new jobs at the site.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Precision fermentation is a cutting-edge biomanufacturing method that uses engineered microorganisms to produce specific molecules—such as proteins, enzymes, or other bioactive compounds. These molecules can serve as raw materials, active ingredients, or components in pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and more.

Unlike traditional fermentation, precision fermentation focuses on tailoring microbial strains to create highly targeted outputs, often replacing plant-based or animal-derived ingredients with sustainable, lab-grown alternatives.

Precision fermentation offers several key benefits:

Sustainability: Reduces reliance on animal or plant-based sources
Efficiency: Enables high-yield production of complex molecules
Scalability: Easily scaled from lab to commercial volumes
Consistency: Delivers reproducible quality across batches
Regulatory readiness: Supports compliance with global regulatory standards

This approach is ideal for producing drug substances, food ingredients, cosmetic actives, and specialty chemicals with precision and purity.

Bioresorbable materials degrade safely in the body after fulfilling their function, eliminating the need for removal surgery. They are commonly used in trauma and sports medicine to support natural bone regeneration.

Evonik works closely with manufacturers to tailor mechanical properties, degradation rates, and processing characteristics. This enables optimized solutions for specific orthopedic applications.

Key properties include biocompatibility, strength, fatigue resistance, and—when applicable—controlled degradation. These factors ensure reliable performance in load‑bearing environments.

ANY QUESTIONS? JUST CONTACT US.

"Our global team of experts is ready to support you with all questions around our precision fermentation capabilities. Contact us to profit from our more than 40 years of experience as biomanufacturing CDMO!"

Dr. Colby Adolph
Sales Director Health Solutions Product Line

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