Bioprocessing

The Fitzsimons Innovation Community broke ground in August of 2021 on Bioscience 5 in Aurora, Colo. Strategically located next to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, the 90,000-sf building will enable biomedical and pharmaceutical tenants to manufacture next-generation cell and gene therapy products on a commercial scale. Saunders Construction is the general contractor for the highly flexible facility, which is slated for occupancy in spring of 2022.

Precision NanoSystems is constructing its global headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia. Located in the four-story Evolution Block building, the 75,000-sf leased facility will feature a GMP biomanufacturing center for the production of genetic medicines and RNA-based therapeutics. The federal government has contributed CAD$25.1 million in funding towards the project's construction to increase the nation's domestic supply of COVID-19 vaccines and prepare for future pandemics.

Landmark Bio began construction in July of 2021 on a leased facility in Watertown, Mass. Supported by $76 million in funding, the 40,000-sf project will accelerate the availability of novel therapeutics by collocating research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities in the same structure. Featuring eight GMP cleanrooms configured to allow production of both cell and viral vector materials, the center will include labs, offices, and quality control suites.

Nexus Pharmaceuticals opened a $100 million manufacturing facility in July of 2021 in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Increasing the nation's domestic supply of life-saving medicines, the 84,000-sf structure will produce specialty and generic injectable drugs, including vaccines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The three-story building features an advanced isolator system and multiple lyophilization machines to ensure maximum product protection and sterility.

AbCellera Biologics is planning to break ground in late 2021 on a manufacturing plant for therapeutic antibodies in Vancouver, British Columbia. Supported by $175.6 million in federal funding, the 130,000-sf project will cost approximately CAD$240 million to build. Offering advanced production suites, labs, offices, and warehouse space, the GMP facility will enhance the country's ability to create vaccines in response to future pandemic threats.

Moderna is initiating a major expansion of the 300,000-sf Moderna Technology Center in Norwood, Mass. Providing additional production capacity for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, the 350,000-sf project will include the acquisition of a 240,000-sf structure and the renovation of existing buildings. Enabling a 50 percent increase in the plant's commercial COVID-19 vaccine output by early 2022, the new facilities will also support the creation of thousands of preclinical research samples per month.

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering has announced the 2021 Facility of the Year Awards category winners. The awards include:

Sanofi will begin construction in fall of 2021 on a vaccine manufacturing facility in Singapore. Representing an investment of $477 million over five years, the structure will comprise a central hub housing several fully digitalized modules that allow production of three to four vaccines simultaneously. Designed for maximal flexibility, the next-generation factory will integrate multiple technology platforms based on different cell types, allowing the delivery of specific vaccines to be prioritized according to public health needs.

Vibalogics is creating a 110,000-sf facility for the production of oncolytic viruses, viral vector vaccines, and viral vector gene therapy products in Boxborough, Mass. Supporting late-phase clinical and commercial manufacturing operations, the highly flexible structure will include 2,000-liter bioreactors, multiple cGMP production suites, offices, warehouse space, and labs for research, development, and quality control. The $150 million project involves the renovation of an existing R&D building previously occupied by Cisco Systems.

Civica Rx began construction in early 2021 on a $124.5 million pharmaceutical manufacturing center in Petersburg, Va. Created in collaboration with Phlow Corp., the 120,000-sf plant will produce sterile injectables for the treatment of COVID-19, emergency room and intensive-care unit treatments, surgeries, and other serious conditions. The facility will feature steam sterilization capabilities, disposable technologies, and advanced automation systems for visual inspection and packaging.

Nationwide Children's Hospital is constructing a $100 million gene therapy manufacturing center in Columbus, Ohio. The 185,000-sf facility will enable Andelyn Biosciences, a for-profit subsidiary of Nationwide Children's, to supply pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with genetic material for use in research and clinical trials. Located in The Ohio State University's Innovation District, the leased structure will feature advanced cGMP environments for commercial-scale manufacturing.

The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) began construction in October of 2020 on the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Inchinnan in the United Kingdom. Created in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde, GSK, and AstraZeneca, the £42 million facility will enable the development of new pharmaceutical production methods that will be proven at scale in a GMP environment.

Merck is constructing a $69 million facility for the production of high-potency active pharmaceutical ingredient (HPAPI) and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) compounds. Representing an expansion of the company's existing campus near Madison, the 70,000-sf structure will feature containment environments specifically designed for the manufacture of substances with single-digit nanogram occupational exposure limits. The building will allow the large-scale production of increasingly potent compounds for the creation of innovative cancer therapeutics.

Facility Logix, EwingCole, and Biggins Lacy Shapiro have launched Rapid Reshore & Development (RR&D) to provide turnkey professional services to the life sciences and biopharmaceutical industries. Addressing many of the logistical challenges faced by companies developing drugs, vaccines, and medical devices, the alliance represents an evolution from transaction-driven service models to a holistic focus on client needs.

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies broke ground in August of 2020 on the $55 million Advanced Therapies Innovation Center in College Station, Texas. Representing an expansion of Fujifilm's cGMP manufacturing campus, the 60,000-sf facility will feature dedicated labs for process development and innovation. Research environments with BSL-2 capabilities will integrate advanced technologies for upstream, downstream, and analytical development.