PTC opens gene therapy NJ plant

PTC Therapeutics has opened its gene therapy manufacturing facility in Hopewell, New Jersey set to support production and research operations.

PTC leased the facility in July 2020 and has since invested around $20 million at the site to develop a biologics plant that supports gene therapy research and production. Now, the 220,500 square-foot facility is open and consists of office, manufacturing, and laboratory space.

According to the firm, the Hopewell facility can handle process development and manufacturing services for PTC’s needs as well as external partners.

Image: Hopewell ribbon cutting ceremony. Image c/o PTC

“The facility is perfectly equipped to handle process development and good manufacturing practice (GMP) of plasmids and adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, essential to PTC’s robust rare disease gene therapy pipeline,” a spokesperson for PTC told BioProcess Insider.

“PTC’s in-house manufacturing, research and development capabilities promote maximum control over the quality, capacity, supply, and seamless transition from clinical to commercial development.”

PTC claims it selected the Hopewell site due to the already existing biologic manufacturing capabilities at the facility, which allowed the company “to get a head start on manufacturing [to] help drive toward our ultimate goal of getting our medicines in the hands of the patients who are counting on us more quickly.”

BeiGene selected Hopewell to build its R&D and biomanufacturing facility in August because of its central location and closeness to a pharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing talent pool.

PTC has hired more than 130 individuals to work at its Hopewell site and told us it will continue to add to the team as its presence in New Jersey grows.