Astellas Gene Therapies is closing its San Francisco biomanufacturing facility, shifting gene therapy manufacturing to North Carolina, cutting at least 17 employees and affecting dozens more.
Astellas Gene Therapies, an Astellas Pharma business, is closing its San Francisco biomanufacturing facility, a move that will affect about 100 employees, an Astellas spokesperson told BioSpace via email.
While the spokesperson would not confirm how many of those employees are being let go, seven employees at that location are being laid off effective Oct. 21, according to an Aug. 27 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice. In addition, 10 people at the facility were let go effective June 19, according to an earlier WARN notice. Those layoffs bring the total number of employees at the facility being let go to at least 17.
The Astellas Gene Therapies biomanufacturing facility closure is ongoing and expected to be complete by March 2025, according to the Astellas spokesperson. A statement emailed to BioSpace noted that Astellas is constantly prioritizing resources and making changes to streamline operations. Having evaluated its adeno-associated virus needs, the statement continued, the company decided to close the facility and move all programs and projects to Astellas Gene Therapies’ Sanford, North Carolina, location.
“The consolidation of our operations is a planned step aimed at further improvements in our manufacturing capabilities,” the statement read. “We are confident this move will allow us to enhance efficiency and better serve our patients and partners’ needs.”
Astellas will support all affected employees through the transition, according to the statement.
While it’s moving gene therapy manufacturing to North Carolina, Astellas Gene Therapies’ presence in California remains. In May, Astellas Pharma announced the opening of its West Coast Innovation Center in San Francisco, a 154,000-square-foot lab and office facility that serves as a central location for the company’s gene therapy research and business development operations, including Astellas Gene Therapies.
Astellas Gene Therapies’ history dates back to 2021, when Astellas Pharma integrated its wholly owned subsidiary, Audentes Therapeutics, to create Astellas Gene Therapies as its global gene therapy center of excellence. Astellas Pharma acquired Audentes in 2020.
