Lonza Plans Biologics Manufacturing ExpansionLonza (Basel, Switzerland, www.lonza.com), a custom manufacturer of small molecules, intermediates, and biologics, is planning to expand its biologics manufacturing facility in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to provide new mid-scale capacity. The groundbreaking for the 5000-L reactors is scheduled for April 2006.
The expansion follows recent investment in the company’s bioreactor capacity. The fourth 20,000-L bioreactor in Portsmouth is slated to become operational in mid-2006. Lonza’s manufacturing portfolio consists of 2000, 5000 and 20,000-L bioreactors. The increased capacity in the mid-scale also will accommodate preclinical production needs.
The new biologics capacity follows Lonza’s acquisition last month of UCB Bioproducts (Braine-l’Alleud, Belgium, www.ucb-bioproducts.com), the bioproducts manufacturing division of the biopharmaceutical company UCB (Brussels, Belgium, www.ucb-group.com).
