Agno Pharmaceuticals’ Eugene, Oregon, facility has a history that stretches back more than four decades, from a five-person operation founded by a University of Oregon chemistry professor to a growing drug substance site now part of Agno’s global manufacturing network. We sat down with Micah Bodner, Director of Research and Development at Agno Pharmaceuticals, to trace that history and talk through what makes the Eugene site’s capabilities stand out.

A Legacy Rooted in Academic Chemistry

The site traces its origins to 1981, when a University of Oregon professor founded it as one of the earliest contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) of its kind. For years, the small team –– just five employees –– served as an extension lab for a single large pharmaceutical company, handling early-stage scale-up work in the ophthalmic portfolio, including many prostaglandin-based treatments.

That chapter closed in 2010, when the founding professor retired and sold the company to one of the site’s own chemists. The new owner initially planned to continue the existing business largely as-is. But when the pharmaceutical company was acquired, the research relationship was discontinued along with all ophthalmic research programs.

Finding a New Niche in Small-Volume API Manufacturing

That disruption forced a strategic reassessment and became the catalyst for the site’s next move. Leadership identified a clear gap in the U.S. market: before 2015, few labs focused on small-volume active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and drug substance manufacturing, and promising projects were routinely going unplaced for lack of a manufacturing partner.

The Eugene site moved to fill that gap, building out kilogram-scale manufacturing capabilities and launching its first Phase 1 GMP manufacturing program. Client interest grew quickly, and the site scaled with it, reaching roughly 50 employees by 2020. Shortly thereafter, Actylis acquired the site, expanded its Phase 1 GMP capabilities, and funded a purpose-built GMP facility roughly 15 minutes from the original R&D site.

That acquisition, however, proved to be an imperfect fit. After roughly four years, Actylis divested the site, and in January 2026, it became part of Agno Pharmaceuticals.

A Natural Fit Within Agno’s Network

Eight months into the relationship, the fit with Agno has proven markedly better. Both organizations operate as science-led, PhD-heavy teams, and the Eugene site’s role has clicked neatly into Agno’s broader strategy: as a U.S.-based drug substance site, it pairs naturally with Agno’s U.S. drug product site, allowing the two to offer combined drug substance and drug product development and manufacturing — including commercial manufacturing — entirely within the U.S.

The site’s capabilities also complement Agno’s overseas drug substance operations, enabling hybrid manufacturing models that resonate with clients: producing raw starting materials or handling high-volume steps in China while completing final GMP manufacturing in the U.S., or keeping early-stage chemistry overseas and moving later synthesis steps stateside. The site has already returned to growth in its first full period under Agno, with strong backing to expand further as Agno evaluates new technologies and facility investments.

What Sets the Eugene Site Apart

Historically, the Eugene site has served as an accelerator for small, early-phase organizations: virtual companies, academic groups, and SBIR-funded projects that need to move quickly and want direct, face-to-face access to the scientists doing the work. Commercial manufacturing capabilities were added in 2023, and the site is now actively pursuing later-phase projects as well, but that nimble, high-touch approach with early-stage clients remains core to its identity.

That approach is backed by real scientific depth. Roughly 70 to 80 percent of the site’s PR&D staff hold PhDs, and the team has hands-on experience across nearly every major class of drug molecule, including steroids, small peptides, sugars, alkaloids, lipids, polymers, vitamin D analogs, and more. When a client comes in with a project in a given chemistry, the site can typically point to chemists who have already worked extensively in that space, paired with a dedicated project manager to guide the work forward.

The site has also continued investing in quality infrastructure to match its manufacturing ambitions. Alongside the new GMP facility the site’s quality systems were upgraded to support commercial manufacturing, and three programs are currently working toward commercial process validation. FDA inspection and validation are near-term company goals.

Partnering with Agno Pharmaceuticals for Your Drug Development Program

The progress since January reflects what the Eugene site has built over the last 40-plus years: deep chemistry expertise, an efficient and personal way of working with clients, and now the manufacturing scale to back it up. As part of Agno, the site is positioned to carry that legacy forward.

This article is the first in a planned series introducing Agno’s drug substance capabilities, beginning with the Eugene, Oregon site.