October 28, 2025
GLP-1 therapies are transforming the way millions of people manage chronic conditions. First developed to treat type 2 diabetes, these medicines are now delivering breakthrough results in obesity care.
As demand accelerates, drug developers are racing to expand access to these life-changing treatments. Analysts forecast multi-billion-dollar growth in the next decade, fueled by new applications and novel formulations. To succeed, pharmaceutical companies must move quickly, advancing clinical development, scaling production and ensuring reliable access for a growing number of patients.
But meeting this demand requires more than speed — it requires chemistry partners who can deliver precision and consistency at scale. That’s where Albemarle comes in.
Enabling Safe, Scalable Chemistry
As a global leader in specialty chemicals, Albemarle provides critical reagents used to manufacture small-molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that power next-generation GLP-1 treatments. From early-stage research to full commercial production, Albemarle’s synthesis reagents are designed to scale seamlessly while maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing demands rigorous safety standards and control. Albemarle promotes safe integration into customer processes through on-site technical training, audits, comprehensive guidance on product properties and hazard mitigation through technical, operational and protective measures. Additionally, Albemarle’s flexible fleet of returnable containers helps enhance operational safety and efficiency.
Strategic Depth in GLP-1 Manufacturing Requires Resilient Supply Chain
Small-molecule formulations are smaller compounds that are easier to scale, control and manufacture, offering greater consistency and efficiency. Unlike some biologics, they do not require refrigeration and support the development of oral therapies rather than injectable ones — a transformation that is already being described as the path toward a future weight-loss pill.
Albemarle is uniquely positioned to support the rapid growth of GLP-1 therapies, with facilities located near key innovation hubs driving this transformation. With production facilities in Langelsheim, Germany, New Johnsonville, Tennessee and Taichung, Taiwan, combined with Albemarle’s global distribution network, the company helps ensure reliability of supply and enable sustainable growth as demand continues to rise.
Enabling Science That Changes Lives
For more than 50 years, Albemarle has supplied reagents that meet the highest standards of precision, yield and selectivity. Today, the company continues to build that legacy with solutions that help pharmaceutical partners accelerate innovation and bring new treatments to patients faster.
“Ultimately, our mission is simple — to enable science that changes lives,” said Torben Heldberg, Albemarle’s global director of strategic marketing, chemical synthesis.
From Oct. 28 – 30, Albemarle experts will join global pharmaceutical leaders at CPHI Frankfurt to explore the future of drug development. As one of the industry’s premier gatherings, the conference brings together professionals from across the pharmaceutical sector, creating a dynamic environment for collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation.
