NIIMBL Funds Projects with $10 Million for Advances in Biopharma Manufacturing Innovation

The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) announced on May 19, 2020 that it is funding 14 new projects in technology, workforce development, and their Global Health Fund initiative, resulting from the institute's Project Call 3.1. NIIMBL is a public-private partnership, funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US Department of Commerce, with significant additional support from its members. The total value of the funding for these projects is approximately $10 million.

These new Project Call 3.1 projects bolster NIIMBL’s technology portfolio to include critical areas, such as process analytical technologies for contaminant detection, cell therapy manufacturing processes, single-use components for continuous manufacturing, and data analytics applications in biomanufacturing.

The workforce projects that have been selected offer a range of new skills for incumbent workers in the field of cell therapy, tap into the skills and dedication of military members to provide new career avenues, and pilot industry-academia hybrid training to provide relevant and valued skills, especially with today's virtual needs.

Two of the new projects, which explore cutting-edge technologies that will reduce animal-based testing and improve vaccine manufacturing processes, are part of the Global Health Fund in partnership with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, according to NIIMBL.

"New manufacturing technologies are crucial to bringing safe, life-saving treatments to patients faster, and, now more than ever, the biopharma industry is seeing an increased demand for skilled talent," states Kelvin H. Lee, NIIMBL director, in a company press release. “NIIMBL is strategically positioned to bring forth collaborative innovation to meet the growing needs of the industry through our industry, academic, and government stakeholders."

"The demands on the biopharmaceutical industry have grown exponentially over the last few months as our world is facing unprecedented times. The projects we have selected will address various key areas, ultimately adding speed, efficiency, and potential savings to an industry that must always be prepared to move quickly," Lee added.

To date, NIIMBL and its members have invested $63 million in 71 technology and workforce development projects since the institute's launch in 2017.

Source: National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals