Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies says the site in Billingham will support biologic, vaccine and gene therapy development and manufacturing for its customers.

Work began on the site in Billingham in the North of England this week, 10 months after the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) first announced plans for the biocampus to support its pharma clients in the development and manufacture of biologics, vaccines and gene therapies.

The expansion, set to represent an investment of up to $14.5 million (€13 million), will include the construction of 42,000 square-foot office accommodation and visitor center along with a potential expansion that could include additional R&D labs and new manufacturing facilities. Around 50 new jobs will be added.

The biocampus follows the recent addition of a $10 million facility at the site that saw the CDMO add a 500 L single-use perfusion bioreactor and seven downstream processing units. Furthermore, the expansion supports the firm’s nearby Wilton Center, a 10,000 square-foot set of laboratories offering cell culture and process development, which opened its doors in 2017.

The news comes days after the CDMO began constructing of a $35 million expansion at its College Station, Texas site, intended to feed the demand for gene therapy services.

Meanwhile, sister company Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics recently announced the opening of its human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) production facility in Madison, Wisconsin, adding four development laboratories and three cGMP suites for in-house therapeutic development and for collaboration with other companies.