Piramal Pharma Solutions Expands and Upgrades UK Manufacturing Facilities

Piramal Pharma Limited’s Pharma Solutions business, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), announced on Feb. 8, 2022, that it is expanding its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) capabilities with the construction of a new facility in Grangemouth, Scotland, and is upgrading its API infrastructure at its existing facility in Morpeth, England. These expansions and upgrades together amount to a total investment of approximately £55 million (US$75 million). The investment is intended to enhance the company’s UK-based drug development and manufacturing capabilities and create new employment opportunities for technical and operational staff.

ADC expansion at Grangemouth site

The first phase of the Grangemouth site expansion includes the addition of two new ADC manufacturing suites, which are expected to be operational by the 2023 third quarter. The new suites will be added three existing suites. The building housing the suites was designed to accommodate further expansion, and future plans for expansion include the addition of a new sterile fill/finish suite dedicated to ADCs as well as two additional large-scale manufacturing suites capable of handling increased batch sizes. In addition, a new customer experience center is being constructed for clients visiting the site during development and/or manufacturing activities.

When the expansion is completed, ADC capacity at the Grangemouth site will be significantly increased. The new facility will be fully supported by analytical laboratories, including quality control, cell-based assay and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay, and good manufacturing practice. The facility will also be supported by warehousing and administrative offices that will all be housed in a purpose-built facility.

“We are delighted to announce the capacity expansion of our Grangemouth facility in the U[nited] K[ingdom]. This new development will more than double our ADC production capacity, strengthening our ability to service customers throughout the entire drug lifecycle. The primary driver behind this investment is the demand for commercial ADCs, coupled with a strong pipeline for clinical materials,” said Peter DeYoung, CEO, Piramal Pharma Solutions, in a company press release.

The Grangemouth expansion represents an investment of £45 million (US$61 million), including a £2.4 million (US$3.3 million) grant from Scottish Enterprise, Scotland's national economic development agency. The expansion is expected to create approximately 40–50 new jobs.

API upgrade at Morpeth site

The approximately £10 million (US$14 million) investment to upgrade API capabilities at the Morpeth site includes new equipment, infrastructure, and utility systems. The upgrade is intended to meet increased market demand from global API customers while also improving the company’s carbon footprint. Obsolete equipment will be replaced with new, energy-efficient alternatives. The company is directly investing £8 million (US$11 million), while the UK government is contributing £2 million (US$3 million) to this project.

“PPS is firmly committed to keeping pace with the market through expansions and investments, but we are working hard to do so with a focus on sustainable and environmentally-responsible practices. As we enhance our capabilities at sites in North America and India, similar plans are in place,” said DeYoung in the press release.

Source: Piramal Pharma Solutions