Fujifilm Corporation will increase production capacity by investing approximately $130 million in the United States and UK to expand the business of its BioCDMO Division.
In the US, at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas, a cGMP production facility has been completed. This facility was built in part with funding from BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority), an office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Fujifilm plans to outfit the facility with mammalian cell culture bioreactors. This facility will start operation at the beginning of 2018.
Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas was acquired by Fujifilm through Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies U.S.A. in 2014. In March of this year, FDBT became a wholly owned subsidiary of FDBU exercising the option early included in the initial deal to take 100% ownership. In addition, $9 million investment will be made to expand the Process Development capabilities at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies UK Limited near to its Billingham, UK site. This facility is scheduled to be operational in summer of 2017.
The FDBT facility will be the manufacturing center of excellence for the company's Saturn Monoclonal Antibody Platform with an initial cell culture capacity of 6,000L. The design of the facility allows for future expansion that can accommodate up to 24,000L of upstream capacity to meet customer’s clinical and commercial demands.
In the United Kingdom, the investments include the establishment of a dedicated Mammalian Cell Culture Center of Excellence. These laboratories are designed to incorporate the latest high-throughput technologies, including fully automated bioreactors and chromatography systems.
“Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies is committed to its vision of being Leaders in the Bio CDMO space,” Steve Bagshaw, Chief Executive Officer, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies said. “Our commitment is to transform the CDMO business through innovation and with our great people — providing long term support to our partners fulfilling our core purpose as Partners for Life - Advancing tomorrow's medicines.”