The co-investment with the Governments of Canada and British Columbia will fund construction of antibody-based facilities to bolster capabilities and infrastructure. The CA$701 million ($515 million) investment aims to strengthen Canada’s capabilities and infrastructure for drug development, production, and clinical research. Additionally, it will delivery antibody drugs to patients throughout Phase I clinical trials. Vancouver-based antibody manufacturer AbCellera anticipates investing CA$401 million ($294 million) into the project, and the Governments of Canada and British Columbia will contribute CA$300 million ($221…

Enzymatic DNA manufacturer Touchlight has repurposed a derelict waterworks in London, UK and redeveloped it into a DNA production facility. While it is not common practice that a Victorian derelict waterworks located near to the River Thames in Hampton, London is repurposed into a DNA manufacturing plant, CEO of Touchlight, Karen Fallen told BioProcess Insider “this was a unique option presented to us, and we didn’t want to pass on the opportunity to be situated in such an attractive location.”…

Thermo Fisher Scientific said the opening of its drug product facility in Singapore will advance research, development, and production of medicines and vaccines. In October 2020, the firm announced it would add two filling lines in Singapore to support growing demand for sterile injectables. The expansion was valued at $130 million at time of construction but Thermo Fisher said it could not disclose specific financials now the plant is open. The facility has been established with the support of the…

Moderna has bought an empty biomanufacturing facility in Marlborough and is planning a 60,000 square-foot expansion as it continues to invest in internal capabilities. The agreement sees messenger RNA (mRNA) titan Moderna add a second facility in Massachusetts, a new but empty plant located at 149 Hayes Memorial Drive, bought from the Oxford Properties Group. The 24-acre parcel of land includes a 140,000 square-foot facility to house manufacturing and office space. According to notes from a City of Marlborough public…

Inhouse and outsourcing comes with risks, but according to Bayer a mixture of both capacities is needed.  Presenting at BPI Europe 2023 in Amsterdam, Ruemonapp discussed the pros and cons of outsourcing and provided delegates with information on how to navigate the selection of and relationship with your chosen contract manufacturing organization (CMO). He outlined how both options come with potential risk and reward. If you decide to stay inhouse – as you have existing capability and capacity for your…

The takeover of a Swiss plant from contract manufacturer Emergent will bring Bavarian Nordic greater control of its vaccine production, the firm says. In February, Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic inked a $270 million agreement to buy numerous vaccine assets and a manufacturing facility in Bern, Switzerland from contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Emergent Biosolutions. Yesterday, the deal closed. Speaking on the firm’s Q1 results, CEO Paul Chaplin said the acquisition is key in helping Bavarian Nordic become “one of…

Fujifilm has cited strong demand for process development and manufacturing work at its Denmark site as a key driver in its fiscal year 2022 results. For the full year ending 31 March 2023, Fujifilm Corporation reported sales in its healthcare division of ¥918 billion ($6.7 billion), up 14.5% on the year prior. Within the segment, the firm’s bio contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) businesses grew 29.2% year-on-year, pulling in ¥194 billion ($1.43 billion). “Revenue rose due mainly to strong…

ImmPACT Bio has opened a facility in LA to support IMPT-314, a CD19/CD20 bispecific CAR-T candidate for B-cell mediated malignancies and autoimmune diseases. The 21,500 square-foot facility in West Hills, Los Angeles includes two manufacturing suites dedicated to autologous cell therapy drug manufacturing, a QC lab, and space for future cleanroom expansion. The $15 million investment will support lead candidate IMPT-314 by accelerating clinical supply as the firm evolves its process and integrates automation. The chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell…

To implement transformation successfully in your company, you must start with the person and not with the technology, an expert from GSK says. As the pharma space evolves rapidly, new modalities come online and the industry collectively pushes for faster times to market with lower costs. It is unsurprising that biotechs must semi-regularly implement and adapt new technologies. Speaking at BPI Europe 2023, Amsterdam, Fausto Artico, global R&D tech head of innovation and data science at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), told delegates…

Germany’s Merck has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) with the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) to build a facility in Daejeon City. Merck KGaA said the proposed bioprocessing plant would support commercial manufacturing for biotech and pharmaceutical clients across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) area. Additionally, the firm claimed it plans to work alongside the Daejeon government to support biotech companies that are based in the Daedeok Research complex in Daejeon. Moreover, the collaboration aims to advance the…