Enzene takes first step out of India with NJ plant

Enzene Biosciences has picked Princeton, New Jersey as the location to open its first manufacturing facility outside of India.

New Jersey’s non-profit economic development organization has announced contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Enzene, a subsidiary of India’s Alkem Laboratories, will open a biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant on the Princeton West Innovation Campus in Hopewell.

Enzene has capabilities in cell line engineering, purification process development, upstream process development, advanced analytical technologies, bioanalytical sciences, and regulatory affairs.

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The facility is expected to be operational in June 2024 and the firm expects to hire 50 employees and grow this number to 300 members of staff. According to the CDMO, its presence of manufacturing capabilities will provide North American companies with secure supply chains, quick turnaround times, better communication, and significant control over the production process.

“Enzene Biosciences is thrilled to establish our manufacturing operations in New Jersey, as it allows us to extend our local manufacturing capabilities to our valued North American clients,” said Himanshu Gadgil, CEO of Enzene.

“We are excited to provide them with access to our cutting-edge continuous manufacturing platform, which enables streamlined and efficient production processes. New Jersey’s highly skilled workforce, […] infrastructure, and renowned academic institutions make it an ideal location for Enzene, ensuring that we can deliver exceptional services and support to our clients in the US.”

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said Enzene’s manufacturing facility will not only create hundreds of jobs, but it will also “generate $50 million in economic investments in our state, further solidifying New Jersey’s position as an innovation economy leader.”

New Jersey selection

New Jersey is home to various life science firms, investments, and facilities. In Branchburg, New Jersey Eli Lilly has a 25,000 square-foot facility, which makes several Lilly biologics, including cancer drugs Erbitux (cetuximab) and Cyramza (ramucirumab), type 2 diabetes treatment Trulicity (dulaglutide), and COVID-19 monoclonal antibody bamlanivimab.

In April 2022, CDMO Catalent paid Erytech $44.5 million for its 30,900 square-foot facility in Princeton and also agreed to lease an adjacent 23,000-square-foot building that can be used for additional laboratory or cGMP capabilities, as well as another building on the campus for any potential future expansions.

Additionally, PTC Therapeutics opened its gene therapy manufacturing facility in Hopewell, New Jersey in October 2021 to support production and research operations. The 220,500 square-foot facility consists of office, manufacturing, and laboratory space.