The site’s expansion will increase manufacturing and office space by 200,000 square feet, and its cGMP oligonucleotide active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing capacity by 1.8 molecular weight (mol).
The contract manufacturing organisation’s (CMO) president Detlef Rethage said the expansion, which makes the Milford site the largest oligonucleotide API manufacturing facility in the world, will serve existing clients.
“This expansion will help Avecia’s clients to receive timely oligonucleotide API to advance their drug development programs in clinical trials as planned,” said Rethage.
The company said it has hired over 120 employees in the past year at the Milford facility, and currently has 50 positions available across its Massachusetts, Ohio and California-based sites.
Oligo therapies
Oligonucleotides are short nucleic acid polymers designed to fuse with DNA or ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequences.
Avecia processes and develops oligonucleotides in pre-clinical, clinical and commercial stages of manufacture, with focus on immunostimulatory oligonucleotides, antisense therapies, and small interfering, micro, and short RNA.