Facilities & Capacity Archives - Page 12 of 73 - BioProcess InternationalBioProcess International

CDMO BioCina rises out of Pfizer’s Australian ashes

Bridgewest Group has launched BioCina, a microbial therapy and mRNA-based manufacturer operating from a former Pfizer facility in Adelaide, Australia. Last year, Bridgewest Australia Holdings, a subsidiary of private investment firm Bridgewest Group, entered the biologics production space by inking a deal to acquire a Pfizer plant in Adelaide, Australia. This week, the company has completed an expansion program and relaunched the 60,000 square-foot site under its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) banner BioCina. The Adelaide site now includes…

MilliporeSigma says viscosity tech overcomes manufacturing challenges

by Millie Nelson

MilliporeSigma has launched a Viscosity Reduction Excipient Platform, which it says helps tackle production and formulation issues associated with highly concentrated protein solutions. According to Merck’s Life Science business MilliporeSigma, the Viscosity Reduction Platform can address specific needs of different protein-based therapeutics through the combination of amino acids and anionic components. “MilliporeSigma’s new Viscosity Reduction Excipient Platform reduces interactions between proteins (including antibodies) that make the product too thick to pass through an injection needle,” Matthias Bucerius, head of actives and formulation at MilliporeSigma told us. “The platform does…

In brief: Moderna to invest in R&D headquarters

by Millie Nelson

Moderna will build a science center in Cambridge, Massachusetts to support and advance its pipeline of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. Messenger RNA (mRNA) firm Moderna will construct a purpose-built space to support the company’s research and development efforts. The site will be known as the Moderna Science Center, located at 325 Binney Street in Cambridge. “We have been located in Massachusetts since our founding more than 10 years ago and are proud to be based here. As we advance our mRNA platform…

Thermo Fisher opens Swiss biologics plant

by Millie Nelson

Thermo Fisher will assume operational responsibility for a biologics manufacturing facility in Lengnau, Switzerland as part of its collaboration with CSL Limited. The 1.5 million square-foot plant will become part of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s global biologics manufacturing network. The facility will house flexible bioproduction technologies, such as single-use and stainless steel with up to 12,500 L bioreactor capacity. Thermo Fisher took over operations at Lengnau in June 2020 after it entered a strategic partnership with CSL. “Through our partnership with…

FDA authorizes 9th batch of J&J COVID vax from troubled Emergent plant

by Dan Stanton

The US FDA has authorized an emergency use authorization (EUA) for one additional batch of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine manufactured at Emergent’ Bayview facility. Contamination issues stemming from Emergent BioSolutions marred rollout of J&J’s ‘Janssen’ single dose COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year. The contract development and manufacturing organization’s (CDMO) Bayview, Maryland facility had been contracted by both J&J and AstraZeneca, but an ingredient mix up rendered 15 million doses unusable and landed the plant with an FDA Form 483 and a…

Neurophth gene therapy plant a nod to China’s preference for inhouse

by Millie Nelson

Neurophth Biotechnology has opened a gene therapy manufacturing plant at Suzhou Biomedical industrial park (BioBay) in China, eliminating dependence on CDMOs. Neurophth claims to be China’s first gene therapy firm for ophthalmic diseases headquartered in Wuhan with subsidiaries located in Shanghai and Suzhou, China, and San Diego, California. The recently opened 8,000 square meter gene therapy-focused manufacturing facility includes two drug substance production suites, a cell banking suite, two filling lines, a technology transfer laboratory, and a quality control laboratory.…

Iovance opens PA cell therapy plant; produces first batch of lifileucel

by Dan Stanton

The $85 million Iovance Cell Therapy Center (ICTC) has opened its doors at the Philadelphia Navy Yard with capacity to supply thousands of patients per year. Iovance celebrated the opening of its 136,000 square-foot commercial-scale production facility, commissioned in 2018 at a cost of around $85 million, this week. “Since Iovance was founded, we have been dedicated to advancing novel cell therapies for patients with solid tumor cancers,” Iovance CEO Frederick Vogt said. “A little over two years after breaking…

ViroCell partnership to double UK lentivirus vector capacity

by Millie Nelson

ViroCell has partnered with Great Ormond Street Hospital to address the global viral vector manufacturing bottleneck for clinical trials. Contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) ViroCell Biologics says its partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) will more than double the UK’s lentivirus vector manufacturing capacity for clinical trials in 2022. Additionally, ViroCell claims the collaboration will secure its position as the first CDMO in the UK to deliver adeno-associated viruses (AAV) vectors to the cell and gene therapy (CGT) markets.…

Missouri biologics expansion part of Thermo Fisher $4.3bn CAPEX plan

by Dan Stanton

Thermo Fisher will invest $82.5 million in a Missouri drug substance facility run by its CDMO division Patheon. The expansion forms part of a three-year capital expenditure plan across its biopharma services divisions. News came in this week that life sciences firm Thermo Fisher Scientific has committed to plans to expand operations and create 169 new jobs at its Berkeley biologic drug substance manufacturing facility in St Louis, run by its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business Patheon. The…

Quell bolsters manufacturing capabilities with CGT Catapult collaboration

by Millie Nelson

Quell Therapeutics has partnered with Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult expanding its manufacturing capabilities to develop engineered T-regulatory cell therapies. The collaboration will see T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapy firm, Quell, bolster its clinical manufacturing capacity and capabilities at Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s (CGT Catapult) recently opened large-scale production facility in Stevenage, UK. “By collaborating with CGT Catapult at the manufacturing innovation center in Stevenage, Quell can setup additional GMP manufacturing operations benefitting from infrastructure, expertise and a surrounding cell…