Fujifilm Expands Gene Therapy CDMO Capacity

Fujifilm Corporation will make a capital investment of approximately 13 billion yen (approximately $120 million USD) in the gene therapy field to further expand its contract development and manufacturing business, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB), the company announced in a Nov. 14, 2019 press release. As part of this investment, the company will spend approximately $55 million USD to establish a new Gene Therapy Innovation Center adjacent to FDB’s existing cGMP gene therapy manufacturing facility in College Station, TX.

The new Innovation Center will have dedicated gene therapy laboratories. The 6000-m² laboratories will house upstream, downstream, and analytical development technologies and will be operational in the fall of 2021.

“We expect to break ground in the first quarter of 2020,” said Gerry Farrell, COO at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Texas, in the press release. “This new facility will triple our gene therapy development capabilities and will add approximately 100 jobs to our Texas Campus.”

Fujifilm also announced that additional investments will expand FDB’s gene therapy cGMP capacity, including new cleanrooms and the expansion of its upstream capacity with eight new single-use bioreactors. The site has been offering gene therapy fill/finish services for both clinical and commercial products since early 2019. The first stage of the manufacturing expansion is expected to be completed and in operation by the spring of 2021. 

Source: Fujifilm Diosynth