MilliporeSigma Completes $110-Million Contract Development Manufacturing Facility for Gene Therapy

MilliporeSigma, the United States and Canadian life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced on Oct. 12, 2021, the opening of its second Carlsbad, Calif. facility, which expands its footprint as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO). The $110 million, 140,000-square-footfacility will more than double the life science business sector’s existing capacity to support large-scale commercial and industrial manufacturing for viral gene therapy.

This is MilliporeSigma’s second Carlsbad, Calif. facility, both of which will focus on cell and gene therapy—specifically viral vector-based therapies. There are 30 cleanroom suites between the two facilities that support small- to large-scale clinical and commercial production. In addition, MilliporeSigma is one of the first CDMOs granted FDA and European Medicines Agency approval for viral vector manufacturing, according to the company press release.

“Today, most gene therapies target rare diseases, but there is an urgent need to efficiently manufacture these treatments to reach larger patient populations,” said Matthias Heinzel, CEO, Life Science, Merck, in the press release. “As a leader in viral vector manufacturing, this increase in capacity and scale is the next step in enabling our customers to bring new curative treatments to market.”

Source: MilliporeSigma