Vetter lauds $240m+ filling plant among high injectable demand

Construction began almost two years ago but Vetter has only just divulged the extent of a major expansion at its fill/finish site in Ravensburg, Germany.

It is rare for anyone, never mind a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), to construct a building 122m long, 44m wide, and 32m tall by stealth, but Vetter revealed this week work has been underway at such a facility since November 2021.

The shell of the building at Vetter’s headquarters site in Ravensburg, Germany is now complete, with the first aseptic manufacturing lines set to be installed by the end of 2024.

Image c/o Vetter

The €230 million ($242 million) has not been communicated previously “in a comprehensive way” and forms part of the company’s “long-term dedication to customer partnerships,” Vetter spokesperson Markus Kirchner confirmed.

“We [are experiencing] a high market demand, and a continuous growth expectation in the injectable segment,” he told this publication. “We have long-term partnerships with many of our customers, and many of them ask for additional manufacturing capacity. We want to react early to support these demands.”

Across its European and US network, Vetter has 24 cleanrooms, which – in 2022 – filled approximately 209 million injectable units.

The company has invested heavily in its network over the past few years. Beyond adding filling capacity, the CDMO is increasing lab space for analytical services, and expanding cool storage and warehousing.

The past few years have seen a wealth of capital expenditure projects and expedited expansion plans undertaken by CDMOs, driven in the most part by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Kirchner noted Vetter did not play a major role in supporting the sudden wave of COVID vaccines and therapeutics.

“We did not reassess our strategy as we did not support the commercial manufacturing of COVID products, but we always focused on producing various life-critical medications for patients in need such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis.”