Lonza To Invest $935 M for Two New Biomanufacturing Facilities
Lonza has announced plans to invest approximately CHF 850 million ($935 million) to add two mammalian drug-substance manufacturing facilities at its sites in Visp, Switzerland and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
The expansion in Visp will add a new 27,500-m2 large-scale mammalian drug-substance manufacturing facility with capacity of six 20,000-L bioreactors. The facility is expected to be completed in 2024 with an investment of approximately CHF 650 million ($715 million). The expansion will complement the company’s existing large-scale biomanufacturing global network at its sites in Tuas, Singapore, Porriño, Spain, and Portsmouth.
In Portsmouth, the company is adding a new biomanufacturing facility for small-to-mid-volume production, The CHF 200-million ($220-million) facility will add capacity for up to eight 2,000-L single-use bioreactors over an area of 3,000 m2. The facility will support Phase III clinical and commercial small- to mid-volume products. It will include technologies in perfusion, purification, and automation. The facility is expected to be completed in 2023 and will complement the company’s existing single-use network at sites in Hayward, California, Slough, UK, Tuas, Singapore and Visp.
Recruitment has already commenced for both of the new facilities. More than 300 new jobs will be created in Visp, and 250 new positions will be recruited in Portsmouth.
Source: Lonza
