Biotech investors should know these suppliers: Thermo Fisher Scientific, BioNxt, AptarGroup

Laboratory supplies and packaging: The silent cash cows of the biotech industry

One of the most important suppliers to companies in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors is Thermo Fisher Scientific – its impressive USD 43 billion in sales speaks for itself. The Company is divided into four segments: Life Sciences Solutions, Analytical Instruments, Specialty Diagnostics, and Laboratory Products & Biopharma Services. Specifically, Thermo Fisher Scientific stands for a variety of products – from laboratory equipment and reagents to diagnostic kits and contract research services, the giant has a lot to offer. What is particularly exciting about the Company is its comparatively high recurring revenues: consumables, spare parts, and service contracts account for a large part of its revenue. Thanks to its highly integrated supply chain and broad product range, the Company is often able to offer package solutions. Examples include sequencing systems complete with kits or mass spectrometers with software and support.

Thermo Fisher also invests in research. Its focus is on genomics, personalized medicine, and cell therapy, among other areas. In this way, the Company aims to ensure that it continues to profit in the future. The market forecasts look good for this. Analysts at Expert Market Research estimate that the market for laboratory equipment will grow from around USD 31.2 billion in 2024 to around USD 82 billion by 2034, representing a CAGR of 10.2%. The US Company AptarGroup is also considered exciting. It manufactures packaging for medicines and beauty products, including atomizers, caps, dosing pumps, and more. The Company is a global player and generated annual sales of USD 3.6 billion in 2024. Specifically, AptarGroup benefits from long-term customer relationships and constant innovation. The US company has recently invested in the areas of mechanical engineering and injection molding in particular. Increasing regulation also drives growth, for example, when existing packaging must be made child-resistant.

BioNxt gets more out of familiar active ingredients

The Canadian-German company BioNxt Solutions also occupies an exciting niche. The specialist in innovative dosage forms for medications focuses on improving existing active ingredients by administering them to patients in different ways. A current example is the well-known weight loss injections. BioNxt is developing dissolvable films as an alternative, which patients can simply let melt on their tongue instead of receiving injections. This form of application is suitable for children, for example. BioNxt has also already looked at other active ingredients, including MS, Parkinson's, and cancer drugs.** These patients sometimes have difficulty swallowing. Here, too, innovative dosage forms can help - either as dissolvable films or active ingredient patches.

The Company focuses on partnerships and pursues an agile, platform-based model. This includes co-development, licensing, and supply agreements. For active ingredients that are already approved, such as the MS drug cladribine, a simple bioequivalence procedure is sufficient for approval, saving time and money. BioNxt has comprehensively secured its technology in recent months and applied for patents for the US, Europe, and Eurasia. The versatile applications of BioNxt's technology ensure a comprehensive news flow – the Company is constantly conducting tests in its laboratory in Munich and publishing the results. However, the decisive factor for investors is likely to be BioNxt's connectivity to major drug manufacturers. Only when the technology is successfully rolled out in the market will BioNxt begin to see a return on its investment.

Will BioNxt score with its alternative to the weight loss injection?

Given the many innovations that offer concrete benefits and are in the spotlight, such as the weight loss injection, BioNxt is likely already known to many players within the industry. With a market capitalization of only around EUR 60 million, the stock offers the potential for returns of 100% or more in the event of success. Stocks like Thermo Fisher Scientific or AptarGroup cannot compete on this scale. However, their business models are also promising—suppliers and service providers offer an interesting alternative to traditional drug manufacturers.