Exhibit 99.1

(CAMBREX LOGO)
Innovation. Experience. Performance.

NEWS RELEASE

Date:    January 4, 2006
Contact: Anne-Marie Hess
         Sr. Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone:   201-804-3062
Email:   annemarie.hess@cambrex.com
Release: Immediate

CAMBREX REVISES STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND ANNOUNCES SENIOR MANAGEMENT TRANSITION
PLAN

     East Rutherford, NJ - January 4, 2006 - Cambrex Corporation (NYSE: CBM)
announced today that its Board of Directors has decided to discontinue the
Company's acquisition program aimed at transforming Cambrex into a specialty
therapeutics enterprise due to the increasing cost to acquire companies in this
sector coupled with the risk of achieving an appropriate return on investment.
In order to maximize shareholder value, the Company will concentrate its
resources going forward on the Bioproducts segment and capitalize on its
leadership positions in cell biology, molecular biology, rapid microbial testing
and cell therapy manufacturing. The Human Health and Biopharma segments will
continue to be allocated the appropriate resources necessary to maintain their
market positions.

     As a result of this change in strategy, it was mutually agreed that John R.
Leone, President and Chief Executive Officer will leave the Company effective
January 15, 2006. Mr. Leone joined Cambrex in August 2004 for the purpose of
leading the Company's entry into the specialty therapeutics market. James A.
Mack, Chairman of the Cambrex Board of Directors, will serve as acting President
and Chief Executive Officer.

     The Company also intends to retain an investment banker to examine
strategic alternatives including the potential sale of certain assets. Any
proceeds from an asset sale may be used to support further growth in
Bioproducts, pay down debt, repurchase Cambrex stock or make complementary
strategic acquisitions in all segments. The Company will provide future updates
on its progress on this initiative as appropriate.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

          This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Rule 3b-6
under The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation,
statements regarding expected performance, especially expectations with respect
to sales, research and development expenditures, earnings per share, capital
expenditures, acquisitions, divestitures, collaborations, or other expansion
opportunities. These statements may be identified by the fact that words

Cambrex Corporation | One Meadowlands Plaza | East Rutherford, NJ 07073
Phone 201.804.3000 | Fax 201.804.9852 | www.cambrex.com



such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "believes" or similar
expressions are used in connection with any discussion of future financial and
operating performance. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based
on current plans and expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations
including but not limited to, global economic trends, pharmaceutical outsourcing
trends, competitive pricing or product developments, government legislation
and/or regulations (particularly environmental issues), tax rate, technology,
manufacturing and legal issues, changes in foreign exchange rates, performance
of minority investments, un-collectable receivables, loss on disposition of
assets, cancellation or delays in renewal of contracts, lack of suitable raw
materials or packaging materials, the possibility that the value of the
acquisition of PermaDerm(R) may not be realized or that our plans to obtain a
Humanitarian Device Exemption, complete clinical trials and to commercialize
PermaDerm(R) in the United States may not be successful, and the Company's
ability to receive regulatory approvals for its products.

     For further details and a discussion of these and other risks and
uncertainties, investors are cautioned to review the latest Cambrex Annual
Report on Form 10-K, including the Forward-Looking Statement section therein,
and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company
undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

ABOUT CAMBREX

     Cambrex is a global, diversified life sciences company dedicated to
providing products and services to accelerate and improve the discovery and
commercialization of human therapeutics. The Company employs approximately 1900
worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.cambrex.com.

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