Family-owned contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Rentschler is constructing a buffer media station at the Laupheim site. Deemed as the “largest single investment” by the firm, the 3,400 square-meter facility will be operational by 2028. The company will install high-precision automation systems.
“The new buffer media station will improve production efficiency through advanced automation, streamlined workflows, and minimized downtime for maintenance," a spokesperson for Rentschler told BioProcess Insider. "The high degree of automation will reduce the need for manual labor, allowing for faster, more standardized production processes.”
“Additionally, the integration of digital systems will enable real-time monitoring and immediate response to any deviations, which indirectly boosts efficiency by preventing delays or production issues. Overall, the facility’s design enhances operational flexibility, making it easier to expand capacity in the future to meet growing demands.”
The four-floor facility will include three media tanks and six buffer tanks to be used for manufacturing drug compounds by mixing solutes and solvents. The facility will work with the in-house logistics and piping system for upstream and downstream processes.
It will produce the buffer solutions and media for the manufacturing of products that are essential for biotechnology manufacturing processes. Media are used for cell cultivation, while buffer solutions play a central role in purification processes.
Christiane Bardroff, chief operating officer (COO) of Rentschler Biopharma, called the expansion “a fundamental part of the company’s work.”
“This new facility is a strategic investment to respond to the increasing global demand for biopharmaceutical products. It supports the company’s ability to maintain production excellence, and by modernizing the infrastructure, it enables them to adapt to future client requirements and regulatory standards. The facility ensures us to continue delivering high-quality therapeutics efficiently and securely,” the spokesperson said.
The three-year plan is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2025, and the company plans for the facility to be fully operational by 2028.
The CDMO has three sites, with the others located in Milford, Massachusetts, and Stevenage, UK. The Massachusetts site is dedicated to developing advanced therapies. The firm added a production line expansion to that facility in July 2024.
Meanwhile the Stevenage facility, dedicated to the development of advanced therapies, was approved by UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in September 2023. Rentschler installed a lentiviral vector (LVV) manufacturing toolbox at the plant in September 2024. According to the firm, the LVV toolbox is a comprehensive suite of tools and services designed to facilitate the development and production of lentiviral vectors for cell and gene therapy (CGT) applications.
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