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Credit: Tees Business

Global biologics company Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies has announced a multi-million-pound investment to “significantly increase” its manufacturing capabilities.

The Texas-based firm already employs 850 people at its Billingham site, where it’s producing 60 million doses of the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine, and is currently building a new BioCampus.

It also recently announced a local expansion after taking 15,000 sq ft of space at the Wilton Centre in Redcar.

Now Fujifilm says it’s investing a further £614m ($850m) to significantly increase manufacturing capacity and double cell culture production for recombinant vaccines in the USA.

The expansion will see gene therapy production increased ten-fold, cell culture capacity will be tripled and microbial fermentation output at the existing 5,000 litre scale facility will be doubled.

Fujifilm’s announcement brings the total investments made by the conglomerate in Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies since 2011 to $5.5 billion.

Teiichi Goto, president of Fujifilm Corp, said:

“Fujifilm will never stop in its relentless pursuit to develop new technologies and provide the necessary manufacturing capacity to meet the needs of our customers and accelerate the growth of its Bio CDMO business.

“We will contribute to promoting a healthy society and developing the healthcare industry by providing a stable supply of high-quality biopharmaceuticals with our advanced technologies and facilities.”

Fujifilm’s BioCampus at Billingham – expected to be operational by late 2023 – will include the construction of 42,000 square feet of purpose-built office accommodation, additional research and development laboratories and new manufacturing facilities along with a visitors’ centre.

Welcoming the firm’s latest investment, Tees mayor Ben Houchen said:

“This game changing investment is a huge win for Teesside and for our life sciences sector.

“This hugely significant investment is testament to the skills of our scientists and engineers and will cement Teesside’s reputation as a centre of excellence when it comes to life sciences and biologics.”

Read the full press release here.