Danielle Kirsh

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) recently announced it will invest $650 million to expand its biologics manufacturing facility in Juncos, Puerto Rico, a move expected to create nearly 750 jobs across construction and advanced manufacturing. The expansion will increase drug production capacity and integrate advanced technologies into operations, part of the company’s strategy to bolster its U.S.…

Fujifilm Biotechnologies recently announced it opened a $3.2 billion commercial-scale cell culture manufacturing site in Holly Springs, N.C., with eight 20,000-liter bioreactors and plans to double capacity. The facility is one of the largest commercial cell culture sites in North America, the company said. Phase one spans drug substance and drug product manufacturing, with finished…

Germ-free eggs from Ireland’s Ovagen Group could cut raw material needs for yellow fever vaccine production by more than 90%, according to new data from a U.K. study. Researchers at the Pirbright Institute found that Ovagen’s embryonated chicken eggs yielded an average 7,606 doses of yellow fever 17D vaccine per egg, compared with 422 doses…

Thermo Fisher Scientific recently announced plans to acquire Sanofi’s sterile manufacturing site in Ridgefield, New Jersey, and continue producing a portfolio of Sanofi therapies there while opening the facility to additional pharmaceutical and biotech customers. The plant performs sterile fill-finish and packaging, and has more than 200 employees, all of whom will join Thermo Fisher…

Great Point Partners has acquired a majority stake in Eutecma, a Germany-based developer of reusable and modular temperature-controlled packaging for pharmaceutical cold chain logistics. The investment will support Eutecma’s global expansion strategy, particularly in the U.S. market, and bolster its efforts to reduce emissions and waste in drug shipping and storage. Eutecma supplies passive cooling…

Prolific Machines, a biotechnology firm developing optogenetics-based solutions for protein manufacturing, has been accepted into the FDA’s Emerging Technology Program, the company announced this week. The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) program supports the adoption of novel manufacturing technologies with the potential to improve drug quality and availability. Prolific’s inclusion in the…

Johnson & Johnson today announced it broke ground on a $2 billion biologics manufacturing facility in Wilson, N.C., a small portion of the company’s $55 billion U.S. investment initiative over the next four years. The 500,000 ft² facility will expand the company’s capacity to develop and produce advanced therapies for oncology, immunology and neurological diseases.…

Currax Pharmaceuticals today announced the FDA approved a second manufacturing site for its Contrave medication. The approval of the second site enhances the production capacity for the company’s oral weight loss medication, also marketed as Mysimba in Europe. Currax said it is investing in manufacturing and advancing clinical research. “At Currax, we are steadfast in…

Getinge recently launched its DPTE-FLEX manual, externally openable port for pharmaceutical manufacturing. The company designed the port to enhance safety, efficiency and compliance. It allows for secure, gloveless transfers to reduce human intervention and contamination risks. “The external handles of the DPTE-FLEX perform dual functions — unlocking/locking and opening/closing – all accessible from outside the…

Johnson & Johnson recently announced plans to invest more than $2 billion in a new manufacturing facility in North Carolina. The company plans to build a state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility in Wilson, North Carolina, to expand the production of its pipeline of innovative biologics. The expansion supports J&J’s broader plan to advance more than 70…