Eisai Transfers North Carolina Facility to Biogen

Eisai Inc., the US pharmaceutical subsidiary of Japan's Eisai Co., Ltd., entered into a definitive agreement to transfer ownership of its Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina manufacturing campus to Biogen, the company announced in a July 16, 2015 press release. This arrangement expands upon the capacity-sharing manufacturing alliance Eisai and Biogen have had in place at the RTP facility since early 2013.

Under this new agreement, Biogen will continue to manufacture oral solid-dose products for Eisai. In addition, Eisai has entered into a new manufacturing agreement whereby Biogen will manufacture Eisai's parenteral products. The property ownership transfer comprises all buildings on the campus. The parenteral facility will be transferred immediately upon closing of the transaction, and the oral solid-dose facility will be transferred after the expiration of an existing short-term lease. As part of this arrangement, Eisai anticipates approximately 100 employees will be offered employment at Biogen, effective upon deal closing; the closing of the transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals.

Although Eisai's manufacturing footprint is changing, the company remains committed to having supply-chain and manufacturing capabilities in the United States, the company said in the press release. Eisai will continue to base its global partnership management, quality assurance, supply chain, and business support staff in North Carolina to manage a seamless supply chain. These functions will remain on the current RTP campus for a six-month transition period until Eisai has secured new office space. In addition, the company will continue to manufacture product at its facility in Baltimore, Maryland.

"The decision to transfer ownership of the RTP campus is part of a global supply-chain initiative to optimize Eisai's logistics strategy in support of our long-term business objectives," said Lou Arp, general manager of the Eisai RTP site and president of the Global Oncology Manufacturing Unit for Eisai Inc., in the release. "Eisai and Biogen have had a successful alliance for a number of years. We share a patient-centric culture and have compatible values on how we perform our work. This arrangement is a natural fit and complementary to both companies, ensuring the state-of-the-art RTP facility operates at a higher capacity and jobs stay in North Carolina."

"Eisai's campus, technology, and exceptional staff are a perfect fit to support the strategic growth of our global drug supply network, providing us with greater independence and control, expanding our manufacturing capabilities, and ensuring that we can meet future demand for our marketed products and pipeline successes," said Esther Alegria, senior vice-president of global manufacturing for Biogen, in the release.

Source: Eisai