Evonik is set to build a new manufacturing facility for the production of lipids to support the development of new mRNA therapies beyond Covid-19 vaccines in the US.
The German speciality chemicals firm is investing a total of $220m in the new facility, planned to be built at its Tippecanoe site in Lafayette, Indiana, US.
The US government, through Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), is offering up to $150m funding support for the new manufacturing facility.
BARDA is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
In addition, Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Greater Lafayette Commerce (GLC), and Duke Energy are also supporting the project.
Evonik is planning to commence the construction in early 2023, and the new plant is scheduled to start operations in 2025.
The construction of the new lipid facility will create more than 80 highly skilled jobs in the Lafayette region, and will strengthen its position, said the company.
Evonik CEO Christian Kullmann said: “With this investment in lipid production, we are further expanding our leading position on the global market and specifically strengthening our Health Care business.
“It supports our strategic transformation into ‘Next Generation Evonik’, contributing value-added solutions with superior environmental and socio-economic profiles to our customers.”
Evonik, through its health care business, is engaged in providing integrated services, products and technologies for mRNA-based medicines and vaccines.
The company has been supplying major global pharmaceutical companies with lipids necessary for use with mRNA active ingredients.
Lipids are critical to producing mRNA-based drugs, where the mRNA is enclosed in a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) composed of specific lipids, to ensure safe delivery into the cell.
The company said that the Tippecanoe site has been selected based on its existing infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and readily available technologies.
Evonik health care business head Thomas Riermeier said: “As a strategic partner for pharma and biotech companies, we are using the new facility to support our customers in developing nucleic acid-based drugs right up to commercialisation.
“We are also evaluating further expansion of our formulation services and scale-up capacity, thereby consolidating our leading position as an end-to-end provider.”
