Fujifilm Diosynth Announces Collaboration With MSD on Large-Scale Biologics Facility

CDMO Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies is establishing a long-term collaboration with MSD (known as Merck in the US and Canada) to invest in and operate a large-scale, microbial-biologics facility for supply of API to its customers, the company announced in a press release. This collaboration involves a $60-million USD investment by MSD at its Brinny manufacturing plant in Innishannon, County Cork, Ireland. MSD in Brinny has been in operation for more than 30 years and is an integrated site for the development, testing, and manufacturing of biologics.

It is intended that the large-scale biologics operations at MSD in Brinny will be operational in early 2018 for biotech and pharma customers of Fujifilm Diosynth.

The collaboration addresses a market need for large-scale microbial biologics manufacturing; complements Fujifilm Diosynth’s existing microbial capacity that ranges from 100L up to 5000L both in the USA and UK; and enables Fujifilm Diosynth’s customers to benefit from MSD’s experience with large-scale microbial operations.

Fujifilm Diosynth will lead customer interactions, program management and process and analytical development, and the MSD facility in Brinny will operate as cGMP manufacturing support for Fujifilm Diosynth’s CDMO business, enabling seamless technology transfer and technical support.

Microbial fermentation remains vital technology for the process of manufacturing biologics, and this investment, drawing on the latest production advances, will provide higher product volumes along with lower cost of goods. The latter is particularly important as products enter late clinical phase and commercialization, the company said in the press release.

Source: Fujifilm Diosynth