Facilities & Capacity

Despite pandemic, Samsung Bio set to open ‘super plant’ early

Samsung Biologics says its fourth plant will begin operations by October — six months ahead of schedule.  Samsung Biologics announced plans for its so called ‘P4 Super Plant’ in August 2020. This week, the Korean contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) told stakeholders the first phase of biomanufacturing operations will begin in the coming months. “Samsung Biologics’ Plant 4 construction is expected to be partially operational by October 2022 to support 6 X 10 kL production capacity,†the firm said in…

Scorpion to build $650m biodefense-focused plant in Kansas

CDMO Scorpion Biological Services has entered a planned development partnership to construct a biodefense and biomanufacturing facility in Manhattan, Kansas. Contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Scorpion has announced a development collaboration with a private developer, the state of Kansas, and university affiliates to build a biodefense-focused large molecule and biologics biomanufacturing plant. According to the CDMO, the 500,000 square-foot plant will service around 144,000 L of biomanufacturing capacity across 48 bioreactors, which is being designed for large molecule biologics production.…

Enzyvant to build regenerative med plant in NC to support Rethymic

Enzyvant says the construction of a regenerative medicine facility in Morrisville, North Carolina will bolster its size, flexibility, and capability to support its commercial needs. Financial details of the expansion remain under wraps, but regenerative medicine focused firm Enzyvant says the development of a 25,972 square-foot facility will begin this summer and take around two and a half years to complete. The plant is located within the Research Triangle Park area and is being co-developed by and operated with Sumitomo…

Genezen fast tracks second phase expansion in US

Genezen’s aggressive approach has not been aggressive enough says firm as a second phase expansion begins earlier than expected at its lentiviral vector plant.   Gene therapy contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Genezen Laboratories has completed construction of a 75,000+ square-foot lentiviral vector production facility in Indianapolis, US and says the next phase of the expansion is underway. The firm said it had allocated space for future expansions but did not expect to be initiating the next phase of the…

Catalent pays Erytech $44.5m for NJ cell therapy plant

Catalent has paid Erytech $44.5 million for its 30,900 square-foot facility in New Jersey and will continue to support its lead candidate. Less than a week after the contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) confirmed a $350 million expansion at its Bloomington, Indiana site, Catalent has acquired a commercial-scale cell therapy manufacturing facility in Princeton, New Jersey from Erytech Pharma for $44.5 million. The facility is located within the University Square Campus Park and has 16 suites that can be used…

Seagen building $400m WA manufacturing plant

Seagen will spend between $350 and $400 million over the next three years to construct a greenfield biomanufacturing site in Everett, Washington. Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) pioneer Seagen (previously Seattle Genetics) will imminently begin constructing a biologics facility in Everett, Washington, close to its existing site in Bothell. The 270,000 square-foot plant is expected to be operational in 2024 and will employ up to 200 workers to produce clinical and commercial products. “In cancer research and development, Seagen must continue to…

Catalent confirms $350m Bloomington expansion

Catalent has announced a multi-year $350 million investment at its plant in Bloomington, Indiana after months of speculation. In February, various publications, including B Square Bulletin, reported that contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Catalent is looking to spend $350 million at its Bloomington, Indiana facility with the City of Bloomington supposedly offering the firm millions of dollars in tax breaks. The city council is said to have unanimously voted in favour of the tax breaks two months ago, but a further vote…

Thermo Fisher opens $44m single-use Utah plant

Thermo Fisher says its manufacturing site in Ogden, Utah increases production of single-use bioprocess containers, which are crucial to developing vaccines and therapies. According to Thermo Fisher Scientific, the opening of its 55,000 square-foot single-use technology (SUT) facility in Ogden is part of a long-term $650 million investment the firm announced last March. Thermo claims that the plant provides additional capacity to produce various technology and materials needed for the development of emerging vaccines and breakthrough therapies. The facility will manufacture…

AGC’s big CDMO ambitions

AGC is aiming to make $1.5 billion in sales by 2025 and says it will continue to actively invest in facilities around the world to bolster its CDMO presence. Contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) AGC says its groups’ life science business forms part of its strategic initiative to aim for sales in the 200-billion-yen ($1.5 billion) range by 2025. “We aim to be the first provider that customer call on when they are looking for a CDMO in various fields…

Gilead’s Kite receives US FDA ok for Maryland CAR-T plant

The 20-acre site in Frederick, Maryland will produce CAR-T therapy Yescarta and increase its network capacity by 50%, says Kite. In 2018, Gilead Sciences, fresh from its $11.9 billion acquisition of Kite Pharma, announced plans to expand its manufacturing network with a 275,000 square foot facility in Frederick County, Marland to produce chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. Now, the firm has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manufacture CAR-T cell therapy Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), which was…