Amgen Breaks Ground on Next-Generation Biomanufacturing Plant

On July 31, 2018, Amgen announced the groundbreaking of its new next-generation biomanufacturing plant at its campus in West Greenwich, RI. The company expects to invest $200 million in the 120,000-sq-ft plant.

Announced in April 2018, the new plant will use the company's next-generation biomanufacturing capabilities to manufacture products for the United States and global markets. This plant is anticipated to create approximately 150 additional manufacturing positions.

Amgen states that the plant incorporates multiple innovative technologies into a single facility. As a result, the plant is built in half the construction time with approximately one half of the operating cost of a traditional plant, according to the company. Next-generation biomanufacturing plants require a smaller manufacturing footprint and offer greater environmental benefits, including reduced consumption of water and energy and lower levels of carbon emissions, Amgen reports.

The equipment within the plant is portable, smaller, and has some disposable components, which the company says provides greater flexibility and speed when manufacturing different medicines simultaneously. This allows the company to respond to changing demands for its medicines faster, ultimately impacting the speed at which a medicine is available for patients, as stated by the company.

The existing Amgen Rhode Island plant was licensed by FDA in September 2005 and houses one of the world's largest mammalian protein manufacturing facilities, the company reports. The facility manufactures commercial and clinical bulk drug substance. The company has invested more than $1.5 billion in its Rhode Island campus, adding more than 500,000 sq ft of manufacturing, utility, administrative, and laboratory space to the campus, where there are 625 full-time staff members currently employed.

"Since its inception in 2002, Amgen Rhode Island has evolved to a multi-product manufacturing facility, which is a testament to our focus on innovation, technology and great staff," said Tia Bush, vice president of Operations at Amgen Rhode Island.  "Constructing this next-generation plant in Rhode Island further enhances our manufacturing capabilities within Amgen's global operations network to deliver on our mission to serve patients."

Source: Amgen