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                                                                      EXHIBIT 23
 
                              CAMBREX CORPORATION
 
                              ACCOUNTANTS' CONSENT
 
Cambrex Corporation:
 
     We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement
of Cambrex Corporation on Form S-8 (File Nos. 33-21374, 33-37791, 33-81780 and
33-81782) of our report dated January 19, 1996, on our audits of the
consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules of Cambrex
Corporation as of December 31, 1995 and 1994, and for each of the three years in
the period ended December 31, 1995, which report is included in this Annual
Report on Form 10-K.
 
                                          COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.
 
Parsippany, New Jersey
March 22, 1996