Outsourcing an oligonucleotide (ASO or siRNA) program means sourcing solid-phase synthesis, sequence and chemistry optimization, conjugation (GalNAc), LNP or delivery formulation, and a heavy analytical load: mass spec, anion-exchange and ion-pair HPLC, and impurity profiling. Specialist CRO and CDMO partners handle GMP oligo manufacturing and stability. On BioBridgeX you compare qualified suppliers free, as the neutral marketplace, and contract directly with the supplier you choose.
Oligonucleotide (ASO / siRNA) CRO and CDMO vendors (77)
Apeloa Pharmaceutical
TRiCBIO
VCHP Clinical Solutions
ChemPartner
CRO & CDMO · ADC / Bioconjugation, Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry, Drug Substance: Biologics
NJ Bio
CRO & CDMO · ADC / Bioconjugation, Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry, Assay Development & Screening
BSP Pharmaceuticals
CDMO · ADC / Bioconjugation, Aseptic Fill-Finish, Drug Product Manufacturing
Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services (Aji Bio-Pharma)
CDMO · ADC / Bioconjugation, Drug Substance: Biologics, Peptide / Oligo Synthesis
Synaffix (a Lonza company)
CDMO · ADC / Bioconjugation, Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry, Process Development
WuXi XDC
CDMO · ADC / Bioconjugation, Drug Substance: Biologics, Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API
WuXi STA (STA Pharmaceutical)
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API, ADC / Bioconjugation
CPC Scientific
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Process Development, Analytical Development
Phosphorex
CDMO · LNP / Delivery Formulation, Formulation Development, Process Development
Ascendia Pharmaceutical Solutions
CDMO · LNP / Delivery Formulation, Formulation Development, Drug Product Manufacturing
Acuitas Therapeutics
CDMO · LNP / Delivery Formulation, Formulation Development, Process Development
Genevant Sciences
CDMO · LNP / Delivery Formulation, Formulation Development, Process Development
Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services
CRO & CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, ADC / Bioconjugation, Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API
Bio-Synthesis Inc
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, mRNA / RNA Manufacturing, ADC / Bioconjugation
TriLink BioTechnologies (Maravai LifeSciences)
CDMO · mRNA / RNA Manufacturing, Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Process Development
Agilent Technologies
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Process Development, Analytical Development
ST Pharm
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, mRNA / RNA Manufacturing, Process Development
Nitto Avecia Pharma Services
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Process Development, Analytical Development
WuXi TIDES (WuXi AppTec)
CRO & CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, ADC / Bioconjugation, Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry
Kaneka Eurogentec
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Plasmid DNA Manufacturing, Drug Substance: Biologics
PolyPeptide Group
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Process Development, Analytical Development
Advanced BioScience Laboratories (ABL)
CDMO · Viral Vector Manufacturing, Process Development, Analytical Development
Eurogentec (Kaneka)
CDMO · Plasmid DNA Manufacturing, Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, mRNA / RNA Manufacturing
Teva API (TAPI)
CDMO · Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API, Process Development, Analytical Development
Bachem
CDMO · Peptide / Oligo Synthesis, Process Development, Analytical Development
AMPAC Fine Chemicals (SK pharmteco)
CDMO · Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry, Process Development, Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API
Veranova
CDMO · Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry, Process Development, Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API
EUROAPI
CDMO · Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API, Process Development, Analytical Development
CordenPharma
CRO & CDMO · Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API, Process Development, Analytical Development
WuXi STA (WuXi AppTec)
CRO & CDMO · Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry, Process Development, Analytical Development
Asymchem
CRO & CDMO · Medicinal & Synthetic Chemistry, Process Development, Drug Substance: Small Molecule / API
Eurofins (Pharma Discovery & Bioanalytical Services)
CRO & CDMO · Bioanalytical Services, Central Laboratory Services, Genetic Toxicology
QPS Holdings
CRO · Bioanalytical Services, DMPK / ADME, GLP Toxicology
NorthEast BioLab
CRO · Bioanalytical Services, Immunogenicity & Immunotoxicology, Biomarker Discovery & Development
Synexa Life Sciences
CRO · Biomarker Discovery & Development, Bioanalytical Services, Immunogenicity & Immunotoxicology
Simulations Plus
CRO · PK/PD & Modeling, DMPK / ADME, In Vitro / Early Toxicology
Certara
CRO · PK/PD & Modeling, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming, Medical Writing
Labcorp
CRO & CDMO · Central Laboratory Services, GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology
Q2 Solutions
CRO · Central Laboratory Services, Biomarker Discovery & Development, Bioanalytical Services
BioAgilytix Labs
CRO · Bioanalytical Services, Immunogenicity & Immunotoxicology, Biomarker Discovery & Development
Twist Bioscience
CRO · Target ID & Validation, Assay Development & Screening, Hit-to-Lead
Abzena
CRO & CDMO · Assay Development & Screening, Hit-to-Lead, Lead Optimization
Sygnature Discovery
CRO · Target ID & Validation, Assay Development & Screening, Hit-to-Lead
Syngene International
CRO & CDMO · GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology, DMPK / ADME
Sai Life Sciences
CRO & CDMO · DMPK / ADME, In Vitro / Early Toxicology, GLP Toxicology
KCAS Bio
CRO · Bioanalytical Services, Biomarker Discovery & Development, Immunogenicity & Immunotoxicology
IQVIA Laboratories (Q2 Solutions)
CRO · Bioanalytical Services, Biomarker Discovery & Development, DMPK / ADME
Nuvisan
CRO & CDMO · DMPK / ADME, Bioanalytical Services, In Vitro / Early Toxicology
Biotrial
CRO · Safety Pharmacology, GLP Toxicology, Toxicokinetics (TK)
BioAgilytix
CRO · Bioanalytical Services, Immunogenicity & Immunotoxicology, Biomarker Discovery & Development
Scantox
CRO · GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology, Genetic Toxicology
Evotec
CRO & CDMO · In Vitro / Early Toxicology, DMPK / ADME, Safety Pharmacology
Frontage Laboratories
CRO & CDMO · GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology, Toxicokinetics (TK)
WuXi AppTec
CRO & CDMO · GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology, Genetic Toxicology
Inotiv
CRO · GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology, Genetic Toxicology
Labcorp (Labcorp Drug Development / former Covance)
CRO & CDMO · GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology, Genetic Toxicology
Charles River Laboratories
CRO & CDMO · GLP Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology, Genetic Toxicology
Precision for Medicine
CRO · Clinical Operations, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
Pharmaron
CRO & CDMO · Clinical Operations, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
CMIC Group
CRO & CDMO · Clinical Operations, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
Altasciences
CRO & CDMO · Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Operations, Bioanalytical Services
Celerion
CRO · Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Operations, Bioanalytical Services
Novotech
CRO · Clinical Operations, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
Veristat
CRO · Clinical Operations, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
Allucent
CRO · Clinical Operations, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
Worldwide Clinical Trials
CRO · Clinical Operations, Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Data Management
Syneos Health
CRO · Clinical Operations, Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Data Management
Medpace
CRO · Clinical Operations, Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Data Management
Fortrea
CRO · Clinical Operations, Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Data Management
PPD (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
CRO · Clinical Operations, Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Data Management
Parexel
CRO · Clinical Operations, Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Data Management
ICON plc
CRO · Clinical Operations, Phase 1 / Early Clinical Unit, Clinical Data Management
IQVIA
CRO · Clinical Operations, Clinical Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming
What does it take to develop and manufacture a Oligonucleotide (ASO / siRNA) drug?
Oligonucleotides look deceptively simple on paper, a short string of nucleotides, but the chemistry that makes them work as drugs is where the difficulty lives. An antisense oligo (ASO) and a small interfering RNA (siRNA) are made the same way at the bench, by solid-phase phosphoramidite synthesis, yet almost everything else differs: ASOs are single strands that recruit RNase H or block splicing, siRNAs are duplexes that load into RISC. Both depend on backbone and sugar modifications (phosphorothioate linkages, 2'-MOE, 2'-O-methyl, 2'-fluoro, LNA, and the morpholino variant) to survive nucleases and stay in the body long enough to act. Get the modification pattern wrong and you have a sequence that is potent in a dish and useless in an animal.
On the discovery and preclinical side, the work that gets outsourced is sequence design and screening, chemical modification scans, in vitro potency and knockdown assays, off-target and hybridization-dependent toxicity screening, and the delivery decision. Delivery is the whole game for this modality. GalNAc conjugation gets siRNA and some ASOs into hepatocytes cleanly, which is why so many approved oligos are liver-targeted; everything outside the liver (CNS via intrathecal dosing, muscle, tumor) is harder and often leans on lipid nanoparticles or newer conjugates. A CRO that understands which delivery approach fits your target tissue saves you a year of dead ends.
On the CMC and manufacturing side, this is where specialist oligo CDMOs separate themselves from generalists. Solid-phase oligo synthesis at scale is its own discipline: it needs the right synthesizer column chemistry, controlled-pore-glass or polystyrene supports, amidite supply and quality, and a real handle on process-related impurities (n-1 and n+1 shortmers, depurination products, P=O versus P=S diastereomers). The analytical burden is heavier than most small molecules: identity and purity by ion-pair reversed-phase LC-MS, anion-exchange HPLC, capillary gel electrophoresis, and impurity characterization down the chain. A generalist API shop can run an HPLC, but it usually does not have validated oligo-specific methods, the purification trains (large-scale ion-exchange and reversed-phase), or the regulatory history of filing oligo CMC sections. For GalNAc or LNP work you also need conjugation and formulation capability under GMP, which narrows the field further.
How do you choose a CRO or CDMO for Oligonucleotide (ASO / siRNA)?
The fastest way to waste budget on this modality is to hire a competent generalist who has never actually shipped an oligo. Use a checklist built around the things that are specific to ASO and siRNA work, and ask for evidence on each, not assurances.
- Relevant platform and track record: confirmed solid-phase synthesis experience with your chemistry (phosphorothioate, 2'-MOE/2'-OMe/2'-F, LNA, or morpholino), and named programs they have actually delivered, ideally with at least one that reached the clinic. Ask which modality they do most, ASO single strands or siRNA duplexes, because annealing and duplex QC are a separate skill.
- Delivery and conjugation fit: real GalNAc conjugation capability if you are targeting liver, or LNP / lipid-conjugate formulation if you are going elsewhere. Match this to your target tissue before anything else.
- GxP and analytical capability for this modality: validated oligo-specific methods (ion-pair LC-MS, anion-exchange HPLC, CGE), impurity profiling for shortmers and process-related species, and GMP status appropriate to your stage (non-GLP for discovery screens, GLP for the tox package, GMP for clinical supply).
- Capacity and scale: can they take you from milligram research batches through GLP tox material to GMP clinical (and eventually commercial) supply without a disruptive tech transfer? Oligo demand can jump fast once a program reads out; confirm purification train size and suite availability.
- Regulatory experience: have they written oligonucleotide CMC sections that survived FDA or EMA review? Oligo impurity specs and the genotoxicity questions around them are an area where regulator-tested experience genuinely de-risks your filing.
- IP, supply chain, and quality: clear ownership of sequences and process know-how, transparent amidite and starting-material sourcing (single-source amidite risk is real), and a quality system with audit history you can review. Confirm stability-program capability, since oligo stability data drives shelf life.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an ASO and an siRNA, and does it change who I should hire?
Why do oligonucleotide programs need GalNAc conjugation or LNP formulation, and can the same supplier do both synthesis and delivery?
What analytical methods should an oligonucleotide CDMO have validated?
How does manufacturing scale work for oligos, and when does scale become a bottleneck?
Do early oligonucleotide screening studies need to be GLP?
How does sourcing oligonucleotide CRO and CDMO suppliers through BioBridgeX work?
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