WuXi AppTec Unveils Manufacturing Center for Cell and Gene Therapies

WuXi AppTec celebrated the grand opening of their new 150,000-ft² biomanufacturing facility, which is the company’s third facility in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, according to an Oct. 6, 2016 press release. When fully configured, the facility could employ an additional 200 manufacturing and support staff.

“The expansion by WuXi AppTec continues the growth of the Philadelphia Navy Yard as a hub for biotechnology and cell and gene therapy. It means workers in STEM fields will have more employment opportunities here,” said Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack.

This facility is designed for cell therapy products that use viral vectors such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. In addition, the facility will permit expansion of viral vector manufacturing to support gene therapy clinical and commercial programs and will permit large-scale production in 2000-L single-use bioreactors. The new facility will supplement WuXi's existing 20,000-ft² cGMP cell therapy manufacturing facility, as well as a 50,000-ft² facility for the commercial manufacturing of allogeneic and autologous cell-based therapeutics. 

"Advanced therapies like CAR T-cells and gene therapy vectors offer significant new therapeutic options for cancer patients and those suffering from crippling genetic diseases. We are pleased to be the forefront of this field, providing our partners with cutting-edge cGMP manufacturing capabilities and capacities," said Ge Li, chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec.

“We are proud to be an integral part of the biotech hub in the Navy Yard and an important center for the manufacturing of cell and gene therapies here in Philadelphia. With the capacity and capabilities we now have available, we can provide the integrated clinical and commercial manufacturing solutions needed by our cell and gene therapy customers,” said Felix Hsu, senior vice-president of WuXi AppTec’s US Business Unit. 

Source: WuXi AppTec