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Losan

Updating the operating model

Industry
Biotechnology
Public information as of
January 2026

A4BEE prepared this analysis from publicly available sources. It reflects our own reading of Losan's published strategy and is not endorsed by, or produced in cooperation with, Losan. Company website

Strategic priorities

Losan operates across 4 stated priorities, with the most concrete near-term plan anchored on integrated cdmo services.

Deliver end-to-end pharmaceutical value chain from preclinical formulation through commercial manufacturing and global packaging under the "One-Stop-Shop" philosophy serving 70+ countries.

Specialize in sophisticated API performance enhancement through Hot Melt Extrusion (HME), nanomilling, and complex galenics including mini tablets and nanoparticulate systems.

Execute multi-digit million-euro investments in Eschbach campus with new production facility, high-bay warehouse, and logistics center for accelerated throughput.

Challenges we see

  • Operations Manufacturing

    Technology Transfer Data Erosion

    The transition from formulation development (Frankfurt/Neuenburg R&D) to full-scale manufacturing (Eschbach) results in critical data loss during scale-up, particularly for complex processes like Hot Melt Extrusion and nanomilling.

    Estimated 66% of pharmaceutical development data is lost during technology transfer, causing extended validation timelines and batch failures during early commercial production.

  • Digital Integration

    IT/OT System Fragmentation

    PLANTA project management system operates as an "isolated project management solution" not integrated with SAP ERP, while machine data from fluid bed coaters and tableting presses remains siloed within proprietary vendor software.

    Manual reconciliation between project hours in PLANTA and financial data in SAP creates friction in cost control and resource capacity management across 600+ employees.

  • Compliance Regulatory

    Laboratory Data Integrity Gaps

    Quality control and analytical laboratories rely on "Excel islands" for data tracking, with analytical results disconnected from central LIMS/ELN systems and offline from live process trends.

    FDA data integrity scrutiny poses risks of "Official Action Indicated" status for missing audit trails, shared credentials, or unvalidated systems during tech transfer to production.

  • Operations Manufacturing

    Eschbach Commissioning Risk

    New Eschbach production facility is in final commissioning stages with 11 packaging cabinets, 4+ fluid bed coaters, and high-bay warehouse requiring digital coordination before commercial operations commence late 2026.

    Digital infrastructure trailing physical construction creates high probability of "ROI Gap" during first 12-18 months as staff struggle with manual data handovers in high-throughput facility.

  • Compliance Regulatory

    HPAPI Compliance and Containment

    Frankfurt research center handles APIs up to OEL class 3b (OEB 4), requiring extreme containment protocols and alignment with updated EU GMP Annex 1 guidelines for sterile medicinal products.

    Regulatory pressure to minimize human interaction with hazardous materials demands robotics and closed-system technologies not yet fully implemented across all sites.

Opportunities, by urgency and business impact

Each bubble is one opportunity, numbered to match the list below. Further right means it bites sooner; higher means a bigger effect on the business. A bigger bubble means a bigger implementation effort.

Source: A4BEE analysis of public sources

  1. Disconnected Project and ERP Systems

    PLANTA project management system is isolated from SAP ERP, requiring manual reconciliation of project hours with financial data and preventing real-time visibility into resource allocation and cost tracking across all company projects.

    Deploy an ontology-based data integration layer that bridges PLANTA and SAP, automating cost tracking and resource allocation for the 600+ hybrid project management users while avoiding complete system overhaul.

  2. Technology Transfer Data Loss

    Up to 66% of pharmaceutical development data is lost during technology transfer from R&D to production, causing extended validation timelines and batch failures particularly for complex HME and nanomilling processes.

    Create a digital "Data work" from source to scientist using an Industrial Data Platform that maintains data integrity and context throughout the scale-up process, enabling "failing virtually" before physical production.

  3. Laboratory Excel Islands

    Analytical results and quality control data remain trapped in offline Excel spreadsheets, creating a "broken data chain" between analytical equipment and scientist dashboards that increases data integrity error risk.

    Implement unified lab digitalization connecting chromatography, stability testing, and QC equipment into a single platform that eliminates manual transcription and ensures ALCOA+ compliance for FDA audits.

  4. Eschbach Visual Factory Gap

    New Eschbach campus with 11 packaging cabinets and multiple fluid bed coaters lacks real-time OEE and performance tracking, leaving leadership without "Site-Level Dashboard" visibility during the critical commissioning phase.

    Retrofit packaging lines and fluid bed coaters with IoT data acquisition enabling real-time OEE monitoring, "Golden Batch" comparison, and digital shop floor management to de-risk the multi-million-euro investment.

  5. Knowledge Retention Crisis

    As a 30-year-old company facing senior expert retirements, Losan's current digital tools are insufficient to capture and share "expert knowledge" effectively, leading to longer onboarding times for junior scientists.

    Create "Intuitive Scratchpads" using UX-first design that enables senior scientists to digitize process nuances and institutional expertise before retirement, preserving critical tacit knowledge.

What we'd propose

  • Enterprise AI

    Enterprise Data Integration Platform

    Deployment of an ontology-based middleware layer connecting PLANTA project management with SAP ERP to create unified visibility into project costs, resource allocation, and capacity planning without requiring system replacement.

    • Ontology layer

      A shared semantic model so lab, process, and quality data describe the same things the same way.

      DETAIL

    • Predictive models

      Models trained on the historical data plane that flag deviations before they become scrap.

      DETAIL

    • Decision surfaces

      Single pane of glass that surfaces model output to the right role at the right moment.

      DETAIL

    • Shorter lead time from data capture to decision.
    • Records that audit on their own, not on inspection day.
    • Scale without adding the same headcount.

    We've done this before

    See how we do Enterprise AI
  • Digital CDMO

    Digital Technology Transfer Platform

    Implementation of an Industrial Data Platform that captures, contextualizes, and preserves pharmaceutical development data throughout the scale-up work from R&D formulation to commercial manufacturing.

    • OT/IT convergence

      Pull sensor and controller data off the line into a shared data plane in real time.

      DETAIL

    • Batch intelligence

      Golden-batch comparison and deviation detection running on the same data plane.

      DETAIL

    • Production release flow

      Closed-loop between QA, MES, and ERP so batch record review and release follow the data, not the paperwork.

      DETAIL

    • Shorter lead time from data capture to decision.
    • Records that audit on their own, not on inspection day.
    • Scale without adding the same headcount.

    We've done this before

    See how we do Digital CDMO
  • Digital Lab

    Laboratory Digitalization Suite

    End-to-end digitalization of QC laboratory operations integrating analytical equipment with central data systems to eliminate Excel islands, ensure ALCOA+ compliance, and create audit-ready data integrity.

    • Unified data backbone

      Connect instruments and LIMS into a single data spine so QC and CDMO records are queryable across sites.

      DETAIL

    • Paperless workflows

      Move lab execution from paper to instrument-captured records with full audit trail.

      DETAIL

    • Continuous QC release

      Review-by-exception dashboards that flag only the records needing scientist attention.

      DETAIL

    • Shorter lead time from data capture to decision.
    • Records that audit on their own, not on inspection day.
    • Scale without adding the same headcount.

    We've done this before

    See how we do Digital Lab
  • Digital CDMO

    Eschbach Visual Factory Implementation

    Deployment of Industry 4.0 production intelligence across the new Eschbach campus enabling real-time OEE monitoring, performance tracking, and digital shop floor management for packaging and granulation operations.

    • OT/IT convergence

      Pull sensor and controller data off the line into a shared data plane in real time.

      DETAIL

    • Batch intelligence

      Golden-batch comparison and deviation detection running on the same data plane.

      DETAIL

    • Production release flow

      Closed-loop between QA, MES, and ERP so batch record review and release follow the data, not the paperwork.

      DETAIL

    • Shorter lead time from data capture to decision.
    • Records that audit on their own, not on inspection day.
    • Scale without adding the same headcount.

    We've done this before

    See how we do Digital CDMO
  • Digital Lab

    Expert Knowledge Preservation Platform

    UX-driven knowledge management system enabling senior scientists and process experts to capture, structure, and transfer institutional expertise to the next generation of pharmaceutical professionals.

    • Unified data backbone

      Connect instruments and LIMS into a single data spine so QC and CDMO records are queryable across sites.

      DETAIL

    • Paperless workflows

      Move lab execution from paper to instrument-captured records with full audit trail.

      DETAIL

    • Continuous QC release

      Review-by-exception dashboards that flag only the records needing scientist attention.

      DETAIL

    • Shorter lead time from data capture to decision.
    • Records that audit on their own, not on inspection day.
    • Scale without adding the same headcount.

    We've done this before

    See how we do Digital Lab

Digital maturity: today and target

Scored out of 100 across six dimensions. The target is what Losan's own published ambition implies — not a perfect score.

Source: A4BEE analysis of public sources
IT/OT Integration 35 → 80
PLANTA-SAP gap and siloed machine data indicate isolated systems; target reflects unified platform
Data Governance 40 → 85
Excel islands and manual data entry create integrity risks; target reflects automated ALCOA+ compliance
Process Analytics 30 → 75
Lack of real-time KPI visualization and Golden Batch comparison; target reflects embedded analytics
Automation Maturity 45 → 80
Digitalized shop floor meetings introduced but not connected to operations; target reflects closed-loop control
Knowledge Management 25 → 70
No structured system for expert knowledge capture; target reflects institutionalized knowledge transfer
Regulatory Compliance Infrastructure 50 → 90
QA elevation to MD level shows awareness; target reflects automated Annex 1 and data integrity compliance

Check this yourself

Our Service Portal has free self-assessments and market comparisons. These are the ones that line up with what we've read above — no sales call required.

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Related reading

This is an independent analysis prepared by A4BEE from publicly available information as of January 2026. It reflects A4BEE's own interpretation and opinion, is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or verified with Losan, and may be incomplete or inaccurate. All company names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. To request a correction or removal, contact [email protected].