The Californian supplier said the new facility in Frederick, Weld County will supply pharmaceutical firms developing oligonucleotide-based medicines. It also predicted the investment will create up to 200 jobs.
Agilent’s nucleic acid active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) manufacturing base is in Boulder, Colorado at a facility it gained when it acquired SynPro Corp in 2006.
In 2008, Agilent expanded the site with assets bought from Dowpharma's nucleic acid medicines business.
A year later it further expanded the facility, telling us shortly after that it was capable of making "several hndred kilograms of therapeutic oligonucleotides per year."
Nucleic acid demand
Agilent’s nucleic acid API business is part of its diagnostics and genomics division.
According to the firm's most recent financial results, the division generated $178m (€159m) in the three months to the end of April, which is an increase 5%.
Growth was driven by demand for genomics services and sequencing. However, Agilent also said that “continued market demand in the nucleic acid solutions” had played a part in the gains.
Related news
Nucleic acids are at the centre of Agilent’s court case against former employee and CEO of Twist Bioscience, Emily LeProust.
In a lawsuit filed in February, Agilent accused LeProust of stealing oligonucelutide synthesis knowhow. LeProust has rejected the allegations. The case is ongoing.