The expansion of SGS’ UK site doubled the total floor space of the facility from 1,200 square-meters to 2,400 square-meters providing the inspection, verification, testing, and certification company with space for additional capabilities.
The facility is currently awaiting operational validation but, once approved, will provide services for testing cell banks and routine bulk harvest for vaccines, gene and cell therapies, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and other recombinant protein-based biological medicines.
The company supports biological medicines in early development, through clinical development, and commercial products.
Expansion of the biosafety site came after a ₤7m ($8.86m) investment from the company and a ₤1.7m R&D grant from the Scottish government.
The company will also increase its capacity for existing biosafety services and enhanced real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platforms. A spokesperson for SGS told us that the expanded facilty will triple the capacity of such services.
Archie Lovatt, scientific director at SGS, said in a statement, “Our investment ensures we will remain at the forefront of this growth by delivering the highly specialized testing expertise necessary to establish and ensure the safety of novel human therapies and vaccines.”
The testing company has 18 laboratories worldwide, offering its contract analytical and bioanalytical services in North America, Europe, and Asia to pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
