Pharmaceutical

WACKER opened the mRNA Competence Center in June of 2024 in Halle an der Saale, Germany. Representing an investment of over €100 million, the next-generation facility enables the large-scale production of active ingredients based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). The building spans a total floor area of 79,653 sf and accommodates four new lines supported by advanced infrastructure, including 17,222 sf of glass-enclosed cleanroom space for bioprocessing under controlled conditions. 

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center began construction in June of 2024 on the Applied Gene and Cell Therapy Center in Sharonville, Ohio. The $60 million project will transform an existing structure into a catalyst for innovative clinical trials. Designed by BHDP Architecture, the 111,000-sf facility will advance the development, testing, and manufacture of new medicines and biological therapies.

Sanofi opened a 20,000-sf biomanufacturing center in May of 2024 in Toronto. Producing adult and pediatric vaccines for pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus, the project significantly increases capacity to meet growing demand in Canada and around the world. The next-generation facility features advanced bioprocessing suites supported by highly efficient infrastructure. Commissioning is currently under way, with full operations slated to commence in mid-2025.

AstraZeneca is planning to construct a US$1.5 billion facility in Singapore for the manufacture of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Enabling the creation of precision cancer therapies, the project will integrate every stage of the ADC production process at commercial scale. The sustainably designed building is slated to achieve net-zero operational carbon and will leverage advanced infrastructure to achieve optimal energy performance. Completion is expected in 2029. A site for the greenfield development has yet to be determined. 

Merck celebrated the beginning of construction for the $325 million Advanced Research Center in April of 2024. Located on the company's Darmstadt headquarters campus in Germany, the biopharmaceutical innovation facility will accelerate the development of novel processes and materials for the production of antibodies, recombinant proteins, and viral vectors. The flexible structure will also drive advances in pharmaceutical purification, formulation, and analytical chromatography.

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) has announced the 2024 Facility of the Year Awards category winners. The awards include:

The University of Delaware broke ground in April of 2024 on the Securing American Biomanufacturing Research and Education (SABRE) Center. The $150 million facility will enhance the R&D capabilities of the adjacent National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) while driving the creation of a skilled workforce. Serving as a living laboratory for the formulation of best practices, the 70,000-sf building is envisioned as a place to scale up and mature new production methods.

Delancey is planning to construct a £400 million innovation hub in London's Knowledge Quarter. Designed by Gardiner & Theobald and KPF, the 194,000-sf structure will offer 130,000 sf of leasable research space for biomedical companies, technology firms, and start-up enterprises. The highly adaptable facility will feature next-generation laboratories, traditional and open offices, a maker space, and a community event venue. Typical floors will have access to an amenity terrace with a range of interactive settings.

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies is constructing a $3.2 billion pharmaceutical campus in Holly Springs, N.C. Integrating sophisticated automation technologies, the multi-building development will enable large-scale cell culture manufacturing for the creation of bulk drug substances. Ground was broken in October of 2021 on the first phase, a $2 billion production center slated for completion in early 2025. A subsequent investment of $1.2 billion will establish an additional 425,000-sf plant that will begin operations in 2028.

Novo Nordisk has executed a long-term, full-building lease for a 165,940-rsf property at the Alexandria Center for Life Science in Waltham, Mass. Located at 60 Sylvan Road, the research facility is being redeveloped to provide next-generation environments for biomedical discovery. Neighborhoods of labs, offices, and collaboration spaces will foster interaction between investigators to accelerate the discovery and commercialization of new therapies. Occupancy is expected in 2025.

Lonza is investing $1.2 billion to purchase a pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Vacaville, Calif. Presently occupied by Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche, the 427,000-sf complex provides a total bioreactor capacity of approximately 330 liters. Lonza is offering employment to 750 personnel at the site, which will continue to supply its current products at a committed volume of 30 percent throughout 2025.

Pfizer has signed a 15-year lease for 230,000 sf of Class A research space in San Diego to accommodate its growing oncology division. The global pharmaceutical manufacturer will occupy two of the three buildings that are currently under construction at Breakthrough Properties' Torrey View campus. Leading-edge wet labs will advance the creation of novel therapies, accompanied by flexible offices and collaboration spaces.

Phase 3 Real Estate Partners and Bain Capital completed construction in February of 2024 on Genesis Marina, a waterfront life sciences campus in Brisbane, Calif. Offering floor plates of up to 42,000 sf, the three-building complex provides over 560,000 rsf of Class A laboratory and office space. Every research suite is equipped with a modular benching system that is pre-plumbed and pre-wired for fast installation and effortless reconfiguration.

Oxford Properties is transforming Victoria House in central London into a vibrant destination for biomedical research. Developed in partnership with Pioneer Group, the £70 million project involves the conversion of 220,000 sf of the building's 300,000-sf internal area to provide sophisticated wet labs and write-up areas.

Increasing demand for BSL-3 and ABSL-3 lab space in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is driving up interest in renovating existing research facilities to accommodate these high-containment spaces. Even a small BSL-3 lab can be a costly undertaking, with special attention required for security of both personnel and biohazards, location in the building, and waste disposal, as well as the design and commissioning of exhaust system.