Thermo Fisher Expands US and Swiss Biologics Capacities
US scientific services supplier Thermo Fisher Scientific is investing $82.5 million to expand operations and create 169 jobs at its biologic drug substance manufacturing plant in St. Louis County, Missouri. The expanded facility will manufacture biologic drug substance products for treating a variety of chronic health conditions, including cancers and other life-threatening diseases, as well as Covid-19.
Two manufacturing suites will be added, along with new machinery and equipment over a two-year period. The project will give Thermo Fisher the additional ability to provide manufacturing support at the 5,000-liter processing scale, as well as continued support for 2,000-liter processing capacity.
In separate news, Thermo Fisher has assumed operational responsibility for a new biologics manufacturing site in Lengnau, Switzerland, expanding the US group’s global network and adding 200 employees. The move is part of a strategic partnership with biotech CSL announced on May 27, 2020. Operating under a long-term lease agreement with CSL, the Lengnau site has bioproduction capacity of up to 12,500 liters.
“Through our partnership with CSL, this site further strengthens our unique customer value proposition to leverage our scale and depth of capabilities for pharma and biotech customers. With the addition of new high-volume stainless-steel capabilities in Lengnau, we are enabling our customers to start their projects with us and stay with us as their manufacturing requirements grow,” said Thermo Fisher Scientific executive vice president Michel Lagarde.
Following the completion of site construction in 2022, Thermo Fisher will initially support manufacturing of CSL's next-generation recombinant factor IX product Idelvion for patients with hemophilia B. Over time, the company plans to expand the use of the site to include additional biopharma customers.
As well as St. Louis County and Lengnau, Thermo Fisher's biologics manufacturing network also includes sites in Princeton, New Jersey, USA; Groningen, the Netherlands; Brisbane, Australia; and Hangzhou, China.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
