With a surge of gene therapies coming through the clinic and a lack of CDMO capacity, having inhouse capabilities is driving investment and M&A activity. As increasing numbers of gene therapies progress through the clinic and towards commercialization, it is no secret that demand for production capabilities is high. The complexity and cost of making viral vector means is a problem, but a biopharma with its own capabilities holds a major advantage, it would appear, something Pfizer CSO Mikael Dolsten…

Agilent Technologies says it hopes to bring in $200 million in oligonucleotide revenues as it ramps up capacity to serve the growing RNAi sector. Agilent Technologies gained a nucleic acid active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) manufacturing base in Frederick, near Boulder, Colorado, in 2006 when it acquired SynPro Corp. In 2016, the life sciences technology and services firm announced plans to double its oligonucleotide capacity through a new $120 million (€108 million) facility at the site. At the Evercore ISI HealthCONx…

The investment at the facility in Wilson, North Carolina comes on the back of several expansion across Merck & Co’s vaccine manufacturing network. Merck (known as MSD outside of North America) announced just five months ago plans to invest $680 million (€613 million) to ramp up its vaccine production capabilities in North Carolina to support human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines Gardasil and Gardasil 9. The expansion plans included a $30 million investment to add packaging lines and warehouse space at Merck’s…

Thermo Fisher expanded plant in Florida and will open a site in Lexington, Massachusetts as part of plans to invest $125 million in its gene therapy capabilities following the acquisition of Brammer Bio. The life sciences firm has completed a $6 million (€5.5 million) expansion at its Alachua, Florida facility, doubling laboratory and warehousing capacity for upstream process development and quality control testing of gene therapy products at the site. “The expansion of this site will allow for more at…

The newly formed vaccines subsidiary of CDMO WuXi Biologics will create 200 jobs at a site in County Louth, Ireland. Bioprocess Insider reported last month that WuXi Vaccines – a joint venture between WuXi Biologics and Hile Bio-Technology – had applied for planning permission to build a three-storey manufacturing facility in Dundalk, County Louth. Now the firm and Ireland’s Industrial Development Authority (IDA) have revealed the level of investment in the vaccine facility will be $240 million (€218 million) and…

Eli Lilly will expand biomanufacturing capacity at its site in Indianapolis. US tax reform stoked the $400 million (€362 million) investment, the firm says. The investment at the Lilly Technology Center campus in Indianapolis, Indiana will be used to support the production of Lilly’s diabetes medicines, adding capacity and technology upgrades to its active ingredient, syringe filling, device assembly and packaging operations. “These investments will enhance our existing facilities that make insulin, provide additional capacity for our growing portfolio of…