PharmaLogic announces strategic expansion with Agilera deal amid rising demand for nuclear medicine

PharmaLogic Holdings Corp. has announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Agilera Pharma AS from Norway’s Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), a transaction that could reshape the landscape of global radiopharmaceutical manufacturing. The deal positions PharmaLogic to become the first fully-integrated, global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) focused exclusively on radiopharmaceutical therapies.

The acquisition underscores PharmaLogic’s long-term strategy of consolidating end-to-end radiopharma capabilities under one operational umbrella. By acquiring Agilera, PharmaLogic gains a crucial foothold in Europe’s radiopharmaceutical supply chain and manufacturing infrastructure, further aligning with the company’s ambitions to scale production and distribution of targeted radiotherapeutics worldwide.

Agilera, established as a standalone entity under IFE in 2023, operates three primary business verticals: contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) for innovative therapies, commercial manufacturing and distribution (CMO), and a national wholesale logistics arm dedicated to radiopharmaceutical products. The company currently holds Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification and licenses from the Norwegian Medicines Agency and functions as a central pharmacy for radiopharmaceuticals within Norway.

Why is Agilera a strategic fit for PharmaLogic’s global ambitions?

Agilera’s role in delivering over 600,000 commercial therapeutic doses to patients across more than 40 countries makes it an integral player in the radiopharma supply ecosystem. As radiopharmaceuticals grow in clinical relevance for targeted cancer treatments and precision diagnostics, PharmaLogic is betting on the need for globalized CDMO platforms with proven experience in both early-stage development and commercial-scale manufacturing.

By bringing Agilera under its corporate structure, PharmaLogic is not only expanding geographically into Scandinavia and continental Europe but is also inheriting robust operational assets that already serve pharmaceutical companies across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. With a workforce of 140 employees and a central logistics hub supporting national and international distribution, Agilera provides PharmaLogic with immediate infrastructure to build upon.

The acquisition will also integrate Agilera’s national wholesale and pharmacy functions, giving PharmaLogic direct control over radiopharmaceutical supply chains — a critical differentiator in an industry where product half-life, handling compliance, and just-in-time delivery are non-negotiable factors.

What does this mean for the radiopharmaceutical CDMO market?

The radiopharmaceutical sector has evolved rapidly from niche diagnostics to mainstream oncology therapeutics. With radioligand therapies gaining regulatory traction and commercial approvals, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly outsourcing manufacturing to CDMOs that can ensure safety, sterility, and regulatory adherence at scale.

PharmaLogic’s acquisition of Agilera positions the company as the only CDMO actively producing and globally distributing one of the key commercially approved radiopharmaceutical therapeutics. This is expected to make the combined entity a go-to partner for pharmaceutical developers seeking to navigate clinical trials, regulatory submissions, and high-volume manufacturing for radiotherapeutic compounds.

This consolidation also reflects a broader industry trend where CDMOs are transforming from fragmented regional players to comprehensive, global partners that offer value across the drug development lifecycle. As companies seek to de-risk and decentralize their supply chains, particularly post-pandemic, having a global CDMO with distributed manufacturing capacity becomes a compelling proposition.

What are the deal terms and expected outcomes?

While the financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed, PharmaLogic confirmed that it will acquire a controlling interest in Agilera from IFE. The transaction is expected to close in June 2025, subject to regulatory approvals, license transfers, and third-party consents. Solomon Partners Securities, LLC served as financial advisor to PharmaLogic for this acquisition.

Upon completion, PharmaLogic intends to invest significantly in Agilera’s operational scale-up. This includes expanding its development capacity for clinical-stage products, upgrading manufacturing infrastructure to meet emerging therapeutic standards, and enhancing its logistical capabilities for global delivery.

The acquisition supports PharmaLogic’s longer-term ambition to create a seamless manufacturing and supply chain platform for radiopharmaceuticals, enabling it to support pharmaceutical partners from investigational new drug (IND) submission through to global launch.

How does this impact PharmaLogic’s competitive positioning?

PharmaLogic’s latest move redefines its competitive positioning by merging two critical capabilities — therapeutic innovation and global supply reach. In a market where companies often struggle to scale radiopharmaceutical production due to regulatory complexity, radioactive material handling, and geographic fragmentation, the combination of PharmaLogic and Agilera offers an integrated solution.

This acquisition also differentiates PharmaLogic from traditional CDMOs, as the company now operates in a highly specialized domain with limited competition. Radiopharmaceutical manufacturing demands a hybrid expertise in radiochemistry, nuclear medicine logistics, and pharmaceutical-grade cleanroom operations — capabilities that Agilera already possesses and PharmaLogic plans to enhance.

From a market sentiment perspective, this acquisition sends a strong signal that PharmaLogic is committed to long-term investment in a segment poised for exponential growth. The demand for targeted radioligand therapies in oncology, neurology, and cardiology continues to rise, and this deal allows PharmaLogic to offer flexible, GMP-compliant manufacturing options to its biopharma partners across continents.

What broader trends are shaping the radiopharma CDMO industry?

The rise of radiopharmaceuticals, particularly those used in theranostics — the combination of diagnostics and therapeutics — is creating new demand for specialist manufacturing partners. The complexity of handling isotopes, short shelf lives, and stringent transport conditions has created barriers for many pharma companies looking to enter this space.

This dynamic has increased reliance on CDMOs with expertise in both clinical development and commercial distribution. Global regulatory authorities, including the U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency, are also creating more streamlined frameworks for radiopharmaceutical approvals, driving further innovation and investment.

Agilera’s integration into PharmaLogic follows other recent CDMO consolidation trends across the life sciences industry, where vertical integration and geographic expansion are viewed as essential to meet client expectations. By taking control of both the clinical and commercial stages of radiopharma production, CDMOs like PharmaLogic can ensure speed, compliance, and scalability — critical factors in a competitive therapeutic market.

How will this deal benefit clients and patients?

For pharmaceutical clients, the PharmaLogic-Agilera deal offers increased development flexibility, shorter timelines to market, and enhanced regulatory compliance support. The combined entity will be capable of supporting new molecular entities from preclinical validation through to global distribution, helping innovators reduce risk and operational burdens.

For patients, the benefits are potentially life-saving. Radiopharmaceuticals play an essential role in treating various cancers, especially in advanced-stage and precision-targeted therapies. The expanded manufacturing capacity and improved logistics that this acquisition enables will help ensure more reliable and widespread access to these advanced therapies in multiple countries.

By improving manufacturing scalability and distribution reliability, PharmaLogic and Agilera are helping bridge the gap between scientific innovation and real-world patient outcomes in the emerging field of nuclear medicine.