Japan-based Fujifilm is set to invest nearly JPY4bn ($40m) in FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB) to build a new process development and manufacturing facility for viral vectors and advanced therapies in Massachusetts, US.
FDB is a contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) focused on biologics, viral vaccines and viral vectors.
The company said that the new facility, to be located in Watertown, will become its third location for viral vector CDMO services, following College Station site in Texas, US and a viral vectors manufacturing site in the UK.
Fujifilm Corporation senior executive vice president and chief life science officer Takatoshi Ishikawa said: “The strength of Fujifilm’s Bio CDMO business lies in its wide-range of capabilities: process development for a variety of biopharmaceutical such as antibodies, recombinant protein, gene therapy, vaccines, oncolytic virus and more.
“We will continue to leverage our expertise in Bio CDMO to further accelerate our offerings in viral vectors and advanced therapies, with the ultimate goal of fulfilling unmet medical needs.”
The process development facility will include equipment for analyses and experiments related to process conditions for cell cultivation, while the drug substance manufacturing facility will house cell cultivation tanks.
The new facility is expected to process development operations later this year and the contract manufacturing services for early phase clinical trials by late 2023.
Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies chief executive officer Martin Meeson said: “We are strategically establishing this facility in the greater-Boston area where there is a high concentration of biopharmaceutical companies and academia innovating in the field of advanced therapies.
“Together these three sites will enable us to respond to our customers’ needs to support their viral vector manufacturing process from early clinical stage through to commercialisation, to ensure these life-saving treatments are available to patients in need.”
