Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Lonza are partnering in the production of a new facility. Both companies are working together to manufacture and support the production of Vertex’s experimental cell therapy VX-880 for Type 1 diabetes and a second candidate VX-264. 
 
The companies are planning to co-invest in construction of a new facility in Portsmouth, NH which is planned to kick of later this year. Lonza is expected to employ up to 300 employees within a 130,000 square foot space.  
 
This occurs six months after Lonza completes the expansion of two of its production facilities in Oregon, and five months after opening a new early development services lab in Cambridge, MA.
 
This new joint facility will complement Lonza’s global cell and gene technologies manufacturing network. By commercializing and scaling emerging therapies, customers will be supported in developing, de-risking, and commercializing products. 
 
“Lonza has a strong history an established reputation for applying cutting-edge development and manufacturing expertise to enable the progression for exceptional scientific innovations like those developed by Vertex,” said Lonza CEO Pierre-Alain Ruffieux. “Vertex has made impressive progress with its T1D cell therapy program, and we are proud to be the company’s partner of choice in supporting its ambition to transform the treatment landscape for this disease.”
 
Lonza’s focus, scientific, regulatory, and manufacturing expertise is expected to help accelerate the development and commercialization of Vertex’s cell therapy products. 
 
“Vertex’s allogeneic, fully transformative, insulin-producing islet cells and the results from the Pase1/2 VX-880 program represent a scientific breakthrough that offers the potential to transform the treatment of T1D,” said Vertex CEO and president Reshma Kewalramani. “Establishing this strategic partnership with Lonza, a world class manufacturing organization, is a critical milestone in this journey and underscores our long-term commitment to patients with T1D.”