SAFC Completes Facility Expansion

SAFC, a member of the Sigma-Aldrich Group, has completed the expansion of its facility in Jerusalem, Israel, adding manufacturing capabilities in large molecule recombinant proteins and small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) through fermentation, including High Potent APIs (HPAPIs) and secondary metabolites.

The 50,000-sq.-ft. cGMP fermentation expansion will focus on niche fermentation of APIs and bulk drugs, producing secondary metabolites (antibiotic-like molecules), cytotoxins and large-molecule proteins. A 30,000-sq.-ft. area has been designed to be Biosafety Level 2 compliant, enabling manipulation of human pathogens. Capabilities include 1,000-liter and 4,000-liter tank capacities for bacterial and fungal fermentation, as well as explosion-proof suites.

“Fermentation is a long-standing technology, yet new applications have been recently discovered, including the synthesis of high potency compounds, which is a major growth area currently driving contract manufacturers such as SAFC to look beyond traditional active pharmaceutical ingredient (APIs),” said SAFC president, Gilles Cottier.