FDB is engaged in the development and manufacture of biologics, vaccines and gene therapies for its partners in biopharmaceutical industry

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The expansion project will support the production of gene therapy products. (Credit: mwooten/Pixabay.)

US-based FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB) has started the planned capacity expansion of its ‘Flexible Biomanufacturing Facility’ located at College Station, Texas.

FDB is a cGMP contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), engaged in the development and manufacture of biologics, vaccines and gene therapies for its partners in biopharmaceutical industry.

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas chief operating officer Gerry Farrell said: “The capacity increase to our Flexible Manufacturing Facility will allow us to support the growing demand for commercial-ready, high volume production of gene therapy products, many of which are in development to treat rare diseases, which makes this announcement even more significant, as today we honour rare disease patients on Rare Disease Day.”

Flexible Biomanufacturing Facility expansion will be completed by the end of 2020

The company’s Flexible Biomanufacturing Facility is designed for the late phase and commercial manufacturing of gene therapies and other advanced therapies.

FDB said that the facility will complement the wide-ranging development and early phase manufacturing capabilities from the National Centre for Therapeutic Manufacture, which is also located in College Station, Texas.

Under the expansion project, cell culture and high throughput manufacturing suites are planned to be added to multiple 500L and 2000L bioreactors at the facility, to support the production of gene therapy products with high production demands.

FDB said that the current expansion project worth $35m is part of the company’s previously announced capital investment of approximately JPY13bn ($120m) in the gene therapy field. The expansion of facility is expected to be completed by 2020.

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies president and chief operating officer Martin Meeson said: “These investments are part of FUJIFILM Corporation’s long term strategy to provide leading, future-proofed end-to-end gene therapy solutions, from pre-clinical to commercial launch.”