Bioprocessing

Catalent is rapidly scaling up its manufacturing capacity in Bloomington to enable production of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate that is currently being by developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The collaboration involves joint investment from Catalent and Janssen to enable large-scale commercial manufacturing by January of 2021, with segregated cGMP production lines operating 24/7 to create approximately a billion doses.

Exyte is partnering with Univercells Technologies to create modular biomanufacturing facilities to meet the increased global demand for vaccines during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Exyte’s prefabricated construction system, ExyCell, is paired with Univercells’ NevoLine biomanufacturing platform which features the scale-X™ fixed-bed bioreactor at its core.

Medicago is building a 646,000-sf vaccine manufacturing complex in Quebec City, Canada. Designed by NFOE, the facility will support the production of approximately 50 million doses of recombinant quadrivalent influenza vaccine per year. The project has a construction cost of CAD$143 million and is expected to be fully operational in 2023.

Medicago is currently developing a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 which has successfully induced a positive antibody response in mouse models. Human clinical trials are expected to begin in summer of 2020. 

Thermo Fisher Scientific is planning to build a $180 million viral vector development and manufacturing facility in Plainville, Mass. Featuring flexible and scalable production suites, the 290,000-sf structure will leverage advanced digital technologies to enhance operational efficiencies.

Biogen completed construction in late spring of 2020 on a leading-edge biologics manufacturing center in Luterbach, Switzerland. Representing an investment of $1.5 billion, the modular and flexible facility leverages Biogen’s latest strategies for fed-batch cell culture technologies and protein purification processes. Offering two cell manufacturing lines, the 260,000-sf complex features two production buildings, each housing four 15,000-liter bioreactors. The campus also provides laboratories, offices, maintenance buildings, and a warehouse.

The Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VIMC) is being constructed on an accelerated schedule in Oxford in the United Kingdom. Ground was broken on the £66 million project in April of 2020 and occupancy is expected in 2021, a year earlier than previously planned.

Novo Nordisk completed a $5.1 million tenant renovation and expansion project in March of 2020 in Fremont, Calif. In just four months, MAI Construction remodeled the subleased 44,000-sf facility to provide Asterias Biotherapeutics with leading-edge research, production, and office spaces to support the creation of innovative stem cell therapies. The four-phase project included the construction of new cGMP Grade B manufacturing labs, as well as a materials lift and canopy for the area's shipping and receiving area.

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering has announced the 2020 Facility of the Year Awards category winners. The awards include:

VACUUBRAND is offering continuing education courses approved by the American Institute of Architects and Green Business Certification Inc. Providing engineers and designers with the skills to create sustainable, high-performance laboratories, each course is available as a general webinar, a private webinar, or as an on-demand learning experience. AIA members will receive one LU/HSW (Health-Safety-Welfare learning unit) for each one-hour course.

Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies began construction in March of 2020 on a $14.5 million campus in Billingham in the United Kingdom. Designed by Ryder Architecture, the project will support the creation of innovative biologic, vaccine, and gene therapy products. Accommodating approximately 300 employees, the campus will feature a 42,000-sf office building with an inviting welcome center. Completion is expected in March of 2021. Additional R&D laboratories and manufacturing facilities will be delivered in a subsequent phase of development. 

Audentes Therapeutics is planning to construct a $109 million gene therapy manufacturing facility in Sanford, N.C. The 135,000-sf project will support the production of genetic medicines based on adeno-associated virus vectors for the treatment of rare neuromuscular diseases. The center is expected to be operational by 2021. Audentes Therapeutics is a subsidiary of Astellas Pharma.

Athenex is constructing a $210 million pharmaceutical plant in Dunkirk, N.Y. Supporting the production of advanced cancer therapies, the 409,000-sf complex will provide research, office, manufacturing, and warehouse space. General contractor Exyte broke ground on the facility in May of 2018, and commercial operations will commence at the site in early 2022. The project is part of a strategic infrastructure development plan to enable Athenex to offer vertically integrated oncology services from discovery through marketing.

Merck KGaA broke ground in early 2020 on the $275 Biotech Development Center in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland. Constructed adjacent to the company's existing commercial manufacturing campus, the 169,000-sf project will provide advanced research, development, and production facilities to support the creation of innovative biological compounds for clinical studies.

Eli Lilly & Company is planning to build a $474 million pharmaceutical manufacturing center in Durham, N.C. Located in Research Triangle Park, the next-generation facility will produce injectable therapeutics and delivery devices for conditions such as Type 2 diabetes. Accommodating over 450 new employees, the project will provide integrated manufacturing, engineering, and warehouse areas. Operations will commence at the site in 2023.

HALIX opened a 72,000-sf biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing center in November of 2019 at Leiden Bio Science Park in the Netherlands. The five-story structure provides BSL-2 cleanrooms with unidirectional process flows that can easily be upgraded to BSL-3 as needed. A manufacturing line with a 250-liter bioreactor capacity supports the production of viral vaccines and viral vectors, while a separate protein manufacturing area accommodates single-use bioreactors with a capacity of up to 1,000 liters.