Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is investing $180 million to expand capacity for viral vector development and manufacturing services with a new commercial manufacturing site in Plainville, MA. The project will more than double the company’s commercial viral vector capacity to support increasing demand for the development and manufacture of gene therapies and vaccines.

Construction of the new 290,000-sq.-ft. facility is expected to be completed in 2022. The project will add more than 200 jobs and complements recently expanded capacity in Lexington and Cambridge, MA, and Alachua, FL.

The Plainville site will offer a flexible and scalable configuration of lab and production suites co-located with adjacent warehousing and office space. An onsite engineering lab will help customers develop production platforms that enable rapid transition to commercial-scale operations. The facility will feature digital connectivity and capabilities that enable operational efficiencies, high quality, data visibility and advanced operator training.

“The Plainville expansion significantly enhances our ‘start here, stay here’ strategy, ensuring that customers have an uninterrupted pathway from development through commercialization,” said Michel Lagarde, executive vice president of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Between Plainville and our other expanded sites in the U.S., we’re increasing viral vector production to accelerate cell and gene therapy innovation, giving hope to more patients everywhere.”