Our Story

Over 18 Years of Excellence

Exela^® Pharma Sciences began in 2005 as an R&D organization (CRO) that developed products and partnered those products with leading injectable manufacturers and marketers.

In 2008, Exela acquired its first manufacturing facility in Lenoir, North Carolina. With the addition of manufacturing capabilities, Exela began its transformation from a CRO to a fully functional Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) capable of delivering FDA-approved products in an efficient and timely manner. Our first FDA inspection came in December 2010, and our first FDA product commercial launch occurred in June 2012. Since this humble beginning, Exela has grown its capabilities and footprint in Lenoir to include significant manufacturing, R&D, Quality, warehouse and distribution services.

The FDA approval of our modern manufacturing building in October 2019 expanded our commercial manufacturing capacity significantly.

With the success that came from our CDMO roots, Exela established a commercial organization and launched our first Exela^® labeled product in 2015. This new division created the final step in the evolution from a CRO to a fully functional pharmaceutical company specializing in sterile products. Today, in conjunction with our partners, Exela^® manufactures and/or markets products in the US, with approval to market in Canada and Australia.

Committed to Our Community

Exela employs over 500 people at our Lenoir, North Carolina campus. We are proud to be part of the revitalization of Caldwell County, a tier 1 economically disadvantaged location. When Exela^® established its manufacturing site in Lenoir in 2008, the unemployment rate in Caldwell County was 17.6%. That unemployment rate dropped to 5.6% in 2015, in a small but meaningful part due to Exela®’s growth. We are proud to have created and continue to create high-paying American manufacturing jobs. The ability to manufacture in the USA helps ensure sterile products under strict quality standards, supply chain integrity, and product availability. Our efforts and commitment to the community have been recognized by Premier (3-time award winner), North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and Rural Lenders Roundtable.

Photo Credit: Joshua Harris, City of Lenoir