As a first step toward doubling its manufacturing and production capacity for biologics in the US, AstraZeneca has acquired a high-tech biologics bulk manufacturing facility in Boulder, Colorado, from Amgen. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The British/Swedish company said it plans to start staffing the facility immediately to support refurbishment and infrastructure improvements. The site is expected to be operational and licensed for commercial production by late 2017.

Currently, biologics make up 50% of the AstraZeneca pipeline.

Pam Cheng, executive vice president, Operations and Information Technology, said adding the Boulder facility will support the progression of biotech drug candidates across the company’s main therapeutic areas. This site, she said, will play an important role in future commercial production and give its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune, the flexibility and capacity to meet the needs of a rapidly growing biologics portfolio.

The acquisition of the new facility in Boulder follows the planned biologics manufacturing investment in Sweden announced in May of this year and the expansion in Frederick, Maryland, announced in November 2014.