FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biologics, vaccines, and advanced therapies, has expanded its large-scale microbial manufacturing facility at its Billingham, UK campus to accommodate increasing demand for microbial development and manufacturing services.
 
The expansion will include more than 20,000 sq. ft. of modular clean room space, including two primary recovery and refolding suites, two purification suites and a column packing room. The new space is designed to maximize the emerging SymphonX™1 technology for clinical and commercial manufacturing. Once complete in late 2023/early 2024, the manufacturing capacity of the large-scale microbial production facility will increase by 70%.
 
SymphonX is a single downstream bioprocess hardware solution to support both batch and continuous operations in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and increase efficiencies through standardizing manufacturing operations.
 
“Through innovation and the utilization of high-throughput technologies, we continually strive to increase our renowned microbial process development services to complement our extensive manufacturing experience,” said Paul Found, chief operating officer at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, UK site. 
 
“Microbial expression technologies continue to be the pillar of the biologics industry, and FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies will continue delivering industry leading titers from our proprietary pAVEway™ PLUS2 expression system, and biomanufacturing excellence. This expansion will enable us to continue to fulfill our core purpose of advancing tomorrow’s medicines.”
 
This expansion is part of a previously announced £400 million planned investment package at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies’ UK site, to expand cell culture capabilities, viral vector and gene therapy services, and microbial production. The complete expansion is expected to create up to 350 highly-skilled jobs.