There has been a flurry of expansion activity in the life sciences industry as biopharma and diagnostic companies expand manufacturing sites. Here’s a look.
There has been a flurry of expansion activity in the life sciences industry as biopharma and diagnostic companies expand manufacturing sites. Here’s a look.
ImmunoGenesis – The Houston-based company announced the appointment of six new executives in support of the expansion of its R&D, clinical, and business development operations. It is also opening a research lab in JLABS @ TMC to push its translational research programs.
The new additions include: Federica Pericle, acting chief scientific officer; Annemarie Moseley, acting chief medical officer; Matthew Hemberger, senior director of CMC & Quality; Cassandra Harrison, vice president of Clinical Operations; Scott Cullison, acting chief business officer; Christine Gagliardi, director of Research & Development.
Biofidelity – Based in Cambridge, UK, Biofidelity opened its U.S. headquarters in Research Triangle Park, NC. The site will host a state-of-the-art clinical cancer diagnostic laboratory that will run its new ASPYRE-Lung assay for oncologists, pathologists, labs and pharma companies. It will be the company’s first commercial diagnostic assay, which allows for ultra-sensitive, multi-gene identification of lung cancer mutations from tissue or blood samples.
Pantheon Biologics – A subsidiary of Massachusetts-based Thermo Fisher Scientific, Pantheon is hoping to fund a 58,000-square-foot expansion in its Berkeley, Missouri facility with $85 million in Chapter 100 bonds. The development will include two more manufacturing suites and expand site capacity and manufacturing capabilities. It also expects to create 169 new full-time jobs by 2025.
GlaxoSmithKline – GSK is planning to create one of Europe’s largest biotech parks in Hertfordshire, UK, which will generate up to 5,000 new jobs in the next ten years. They are looking for development partners to renovate GSK’s existing 92-acre Stevenage Research and Development site.
Scripps Research and the University of Florida – Scripps Research is discussing a merger of its Jupiter-based biomedical operation with the University of Florida’s academic health center’s research division. Scripps expanded into Florida in 2003 on a 30-acre campus next to Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Florida granted Scripps $310 million to open a lab in Florida, and Palm Beach County added $269 million.
Thermo Fisher Scientific – The Massachusetts-based company is expanding operations in Austin, Texas, with plans to create more than 300 jobs in Central Texas. In the past year, its South Austin campus had added more than 130 jobs to manufacture its TaqPath COVID-19 detection kits. The current site added about 10,000 square feet to its manufacturing facility and is expected to add another site east of the existing campus, with 125,000 square feet of manufacturing space for COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
Cytiva and Pall Corporation (Danaher Corporation) – Cytiva and Pall Corporation, both subsidiaries of Danaher Corporation, plan to invest $1.5 billion to expand manufacturing operations across 13 sites worldwide. It plans to double capacity in multiple sites as well as two new locations, one in the UK and the other in the U.S.
The U.S. site will focus on chromatography resins, cell culture media, as well as single-use technologies like bioreactors bags for growing cells. Cytiva’s site in Logan, Utah, is expected to double in 2023. Specific new locations have not been announced.
Numed Pharma – Springboro, Ohio-based Numed Pharma, which distributes wholesale prescription drugs to retailers and pharmacies, announced plans to triple its staff in Warren Country, going from 16 workers to 46-56. It is hosting a career fair at its Pioneer Boulevard Location on August 3-5, the first phase of its hiring surge.
Takeda Pharmaceuticals – Japan-based Takeda plans to expand its facility in Thousand Oaks, California, investing $126 million to grow its manufacturing operations. Takeda has been in the area since 1996. The expansion will include a new 15,000-square-foot manufacturing site and renovation of the existing 14,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.
Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies – The Brazo Valley Economic Development Corporation in Texas is fighting to bring a new Fujifilm Diosynth manufacturing facility to Bryan, Texas. Apparently, a site in North Carolina is a significant competitor for the site. Fujifilm runs three sites in Bryan-College Station.
BioBAT – BioBAT, a partnership created by the SUNY Research Foundation, on behalf of Downstate Health Sciences University and the New York City Economic Development Corp., is planning to expand the life science lab space at BioBAT at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. New York City’s economic development arm plans to invest $50 million into the project.
Michael Reese Hospital – Michael Reese Hospital campus in the Chicago area is planning a $4 billion multi-use development site that will include affordable housing, commercial space, apartments, parkland, retail, senior housing, and a life science research complex. It will create up to 20,000 jobs. The $600 million first phase is for a life sciences campus for health and biomedical technology.
