Biopharm manufacturing expansion round up

in-PharmaTechnologist presents a round up of biopharm manufacturing expansions, including details of new plants for OmniLytics and Morphotek.

OmniLytics has relocated from Salt Lake City to Sandy, Utah, US to expand its manufacturing capabilities. In 2010 OmniLytics produced nearly 100,000 litres of bacteriophage product and moving to a site with 60,000 sq ft of lab and manufacturing space will support continued growth.

Justin Reber, CEO of OmniLytics, said: “This move not only significantly increases our manufacturing capabilities, but also provides the potential for future expansion onto an additional seven acres of undeveloped property acquired adjacent to the four acre, two building campus.”

OmniLytics is also nearing completion of a master plan for the production facility. This will provide equipment to support production of millions of litres of bacteriophage final product a year.

Precis Engineering is supporting Morphotek in the construction of an $80m (€54m), 60,000 sq ft manufacturing pilot plant in Exton, Pennsylvania, US. The plant will provide Morphotek with biologics for use in early phase clinical trials and is due to be operational in 2012.

"Glass-walled corridors will provide unprecedented access to view clean rooms, production suites, and mechanical systems in operation. The design will let executives tour the facility without having to put on clean-room garments”, said Robert Dick, principal at Precis.

Cangene bioPharma has completed an $11m renovation of its sterile filling facility in Baltimore, Maryland, US. Capacity was increased by installing a second production freeze-dryer and the plant was also upgraded in response to evolving regulatory requirements.

We see increasing opportunities arising from the elimination of fill capacity by many pharmaceutical companies during the economic downturn”, said Vicki Wolff-Long, general manager of Cangene bioPharma.

Paragon Bioservices and the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) have formed a public-private partnership for developing and manufacturing stem cell therapies.

The partnership will set up a facility to offer stem cell services, including cell banking and production, on a fee-for-service basis. Life Technologies is also involved with the project.