Shire spokesperson Jessica Mann confirmed to In-PharmaTechnologist.com that the company is currently assessing a range of options to expand its biomanufacturing capacity in order to support the growth of its human genetic therapy business. She stressed that the company has already a number of options to choose from but has not yet settled on a location for its plant. "We currently have a facility in Massachusetts so it would be logical to make a further acquisition there but we are open-minded about it," said Mann. The new facility would handle manufacturing of Shire's current products for the treatment for genetic disorders, including its drug Replegal (agalsidase alfa), a treatment for Fabry disease, and Elaprase (idursulfase), which was approved last July as a human enzyme replacement therapy to treat Hunter syndrome. Mann said that this latest investment was part of the company growth plan, after a successful period in terms of business development. A US newspaper reported yesterday a $180m figure for the amount to be spent on the new biomanufacturing plant however, Mann wouldn't comment further on the matter. Shire's Human Genetic Therapies division, which the firm gained from the acquisition of Transkaryotic Therapeutics in 2005, currently manufactures Replegal and Elaprase at its Alewife, Massachusetts plant. The company also has a drug for another genetic disease in late-stage clinical trials.
