Wacker Buys Dutch Biotechnology Plant
With the takeover of SynCo Bio Partners of Amsterdam from SynCo Bio Luxembourg, Germany’s Wacker Chemie has acquired a Dutch manufacturing site for biopharmaceuticals, live microbial products and vaccines, along with the associated business.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Wacker plans to maintain SynCo’s existing customer relationships and the company’s 110 employees.
The company said the acquired facilities will enable it to satisfy robust market demand and strengthen its position as a leading contract manufacturer of microbial-derived biopharmaceutical proteins.
Founded in 2000, SynCo operates two fermentation lines with current capacities of 1,500 and 270 liters. Along with manufacturing microbial-derived biopharmaceuticals for clinical testing it also produces for the commercial market. An additional line of single-use fermenters provides additional and flexible production capabilities, Wacker said.
The Dutch company also operates a “fill and finish” facility, which enables the complete manufacture of pharmaceuticals from active agent to filled product. The plants, which meet GMP quality standards, have been inspected by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Gerhard Schmid, president of Wacker Biosolutions, said the additional fermentation lines will double the German company’s capacity, thus enhancing its ability to produce key pharmaceuticals cost effectively, using advanced microbial techniques.
