The plans for Visp include a new large-scale facility to expand capacity by six 20,000L bioreactors to meet increased demand for biologics, while a small-scale, single-use technology facility at Portsmouth will support customers scaling clinical to commercial manufacturing with capacity for up to eight 2,000L bioreactors

Lonza said the state-of-the-art, high throughput facility at Visp will include perfusion capabilities and is designed to support high titer processes and accommodate the next generation of mammalian biologics. The 650 million Swiss franc investment is due to be completed in 2024. The expansion will complement the existing large-scale global network at Lonza sites in Tuas, Singapore, and Porriño Spain, as well as at Portsmouth.

The next-generation facility at Portsmouth will support late-phase clinical and commercial development and manufacturing, adding capacity for up to eight 2,000L single-use bioreactors over an area of 3,000 m^2. This 200 million Swiss franc investment will help meet increasing market demand for small- to mid-scale mammalian-derived biologics and support the implementation of high titer and high throughput platform processes, the company said.

The US plant, offering state-of-the-art technologies in perfusion, purification, and automation, will support Phase 3 clinical and commercial small- to mid-volume products. The facility expected to be completed in 2023 will complement the existing single-use network at Lonza sites in Hayward, California, USA; Slough, England and Visp.

“As we look at the biologics market, we see a combination of growth at pace coupled with continuing high customer demand,” said CEO Pierre-Alain Ruffieux, adding that “in recent months, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed the spotlight on supply chains and the critical role CDMOs play in ensuring an adequate supply of medicines.” Lonza’s planned expansions will ensure that it continues to deliver industry-leading contract manufacturing services that will support customers’ needs in the medium and long term, Ruffieux said.

In recent months, Lonza has announced several investments at Visp. In April, the CDMO said it would build a new complex for a long-term biopharmaceutical manufacturing partner at the alpine site and also make Prussian Blue for Natron Energy. This followed plans unveiled in December 2020 calling for two new suites for commercialization of antibody-drug conjugates as part of a long-term collaboration with a global biopharma company. In August 2020, the company said it was expanding its microbial manufacturing facility to supply long-term for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist