FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies has opened its new £100m microbial fermentation manufacturing facility in Billingham, UK.
The company, which is a partnership between FUJIFILM and Mitsubishi, operates as a contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO).
FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies is engaged in development and manufacturing for biologics, vaccines, advanced therapies, and oncolytic viruses.
The new facility has tripled the CDMO’s current microbial production capacity. It features a new production line with two 4,000-litre fermenters and a modular purification suite.
FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies CEO and president Lars Petersen said: “With the completion of this project, we are fulfilling our commitment with our partner, and supporting the commercialisation of its ophthalmic therapeutic.
“This is a prime example of our partnership-based business model, a key element in our Partners for Life strategy, to help our customers bring their life-impacting medicines to patients.”
To support future growth, the new facility is designed with the flexibility to accommodate new projects and meet the evolving needs of FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies’ partners, enhancing supply chain resilience.
This expansion was tailored, in part, to assist a major pharmaceutical partner with a specialised ophthalmic treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “The specialised therapeutics that will be made at Billingham, thanks to this investment, could eventually help thousands of people who suffer from wet age-related macular degeneration.
“This news is also proof of the economic value of our life sciences clusters – pulling investment into places like Teesside and building on the world-class expertise that is already in the area.”
In December 2023, FUJIFILM announced an investment in the California site of the CDMO. The funds will be used to build new development lab and two new independent manufacturing clean rooms.
By April this year, the parent company of FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies announced an additional investment of $1.2bn to expand end-to-end bio-manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
The funds took the total investment to over $3.2bn at the site. It will also generate around 680 additional jobs by 2031, FUJIFILM said.
