Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB), has expanded its UK location through the creation of a new BioCampus. This expansion will be partly supported by the Tess Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) through a  grant funding up to £3.625 million. These funds will help to kick start the first stage of the BioCampus while at the same time enabling  subsequent phases of investment and development planned by FDB. The total cost of the BioCampus project is estimated to be £12.6 million.
 
The initial phase of this project will involve a new purpose built facility. This will consist of approximately 42,000 square feet of space and will house circa 250 of FDB’s existing staff and the addition of approximately 50 new high value jobs. It is expected that the new jobs will be filled within the span of two years. This announcement is the latest on a series of investments made by Fujifilm Corporation to grow FDB and the CDMO business.
 
This latest investment is part of a major strategic growth plan. In September 2017 FDB announced the opening of the 10,000 square foot, state-of-the-art cell culture process development laboratories in Wilton Center, Teesside. In January 2019, the Wilton Laboratories were further expanded with the addition of 7,000 square feet of laboratory space increasing FDB’s cell culture process development capacity. The new space will also support dedicated process characterization activities.
 
“We continue to focus our growth here in the North East of England,” said Paul Found, chief operating officer, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies. “We are proud of the part Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies is playing in growing the North East’s biotechnology industry and being a player in the creation of highly specialized jobs.”
 
Under its bio CDMO business newly established in March 2017, Fujifilm says it seeks to maintain an aggressive capital investment  strategy in combination with the development of highly efficient and highly productive technologies. The company also seeks to contribute to the further advancement of the pharmaceutical industry through the stable supply of high quality pharmaceutical products.