Thermo Fisher’s new facility will support the development, testing and manufacture of viral vectors, which are crucial in advancing new therapies

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Image: Thermo Fisher Scientific Markham office, Canada. Photo: Courtesy of Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine / Wikipedia.

US-based Thermo Fisher Scientific has opened its new $90m viral vector contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) site, spanning 50,000ft² area, in Lexington, Massachusetts, US.

The biotechnology company has expanded its pharma services business to add viral vector CDMO, with the acquisition of Brammer Bio for $1.7bn, in early 2019.

Thermo Fisher Scientific executive vice president Michel Lagarde said: “The demand for new gene therapies has outpaced capacity, and we’re in a unique position to partner with our customers to help them accelerate development and production of medicines that will ultimately benefit patients suffering from rare diseases.”

New CDMO site will use GMP to manufacture viral vectors

Thermo Fisher said that its new facility will create more than 200 jobs and support the development, testing and manufacture of viral vectors, which are crucial in advancing new gene and cell therapies.

Also, the new facility is set to offer viral vector development and manufacturing capabilities, which has been a bottleneck for biotech companies to date.

The company said that its new viral vector CDMO facility will host varied workforce of scientists, quality control specialists and production teams, who will use specialised, good manufacturing practices (GMP) to produce, test and manufacture viral vectors.

With the addition of new CDMO facility, Thermo Fisher holds more than 2,500 employees at 15 facilities in commonwealth.

Thermo Fisher claims that its investment in Lexington facility is part of its strategy to accelerate commercialisation of new therapies, through drug development, clinical trials, and commercial manufacturing.

Furthermore, it operates through brand names Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services, to offer a combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive services.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said: “Thermo Fisher’s investment in both the regional economic development of the Commonwealth and its commitment to furthering STEM education for young women will well serve Massachusetts and its communities.

“We look forward to working together to continue to build upon and strengthen the state’s role as a global leader in innovation.”