Fujifilm Corporation announced a $188 million investment to establish a cell culture media manufacturing facility in Research Triangle Park (RTP), NC. The new site will be operated by Fujifilm Irvine Scientific, Inc., a subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation, and a leader in the development and manufacture of advanced cell culture solutions for life science research, bioproduction, cell therapy manufacturing, and medical applications. The new facility is planned to ensure that Fujifilm Irvine Scientific can meet increasing market demands for high quality cell culture media solutions.

The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will be over 250,000 square feet and located across 64 acres in RTP. The site will support cGMP manufacturing of animal component-free, dry powder, and liquid media, adding additional production capacity for Fujifilm Irvine Scientific of 800,000 kg/year for dry powder, 3,300,000 L/year for liquid, and 40,000 L/day of Water for Injection (WFI).

Fujifilm Irvine Scientific has experienced rapid growth over the past decade and the forecasted demand for cell culture media to support bioproduction and advanced therapies is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10-12% through 2031.* To meet the requirements of its customers, the company made the decision to expand its capacity by constructing manufacturing facilities in biotech centers around the world. This strategy ensures a secure supply chain, and rapid, reliable delivery of products through the development of extensive regional supply networks, critical to supporting cell and gene therapies.

Sharing the harmonized Quality System and raw material program of Fujifilm Irvine Scientific, this regional supply network enables the company to adjust to natural disasters or unforeseen issues and continue operations and delivery of products to customers worldwide. As an area popular with life science companies, RTP in North Carolina was selected as an ideal location, providing enhanced supply chain security, and for customers in the region, more efficient shipping and faster delivery. Fujifilm’s group also operates cell culture media manufacturing facilities in California, the Netherlands, and the Saitama and Aichi prefectures in Japan.

“Fujifilm’s intensive investment in the life sciences field represents our commitment to be the dedicated partner for customers in the biopharmaceutical industry,” said Teiichi Goto, president and CEO of Fujifilm Corporation. “With the enhanced capabilities of our global manufacturing sites for cell culture media, we will continuously contribute to customers’ robust manufacturing process and creation of innovative therapies to make the world a healthier place.”

Yutaka Yamaguchi, CEO of Fujifilm Irvine Scientific, said, “Our customers require rapid, reliable delivery of cell culture media to support their commercial production. The cell culture media that will be manufactured at this new site in North Carolina will help ensure a steady supply of raw materials for biologics, cell and gene therapies, and other key medicines that are essential to human health. The additional production capacity will ensure we meet the projected demand for cell culture media from our customers worldwide.”

Land development and construction are scheduled to start in spring 2023 with operation of the facility beginning in 2025.

*Bioplan, “Culture Media Market and Trends,” 2020