With biopharmaceutical development heavily focused on specialized therapeutics, drug sponsors are increasingly turning to expert outsourcing partners to meet growing demand for complex fill and finish solutions. Vetter, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) is investing in additional capacity to meet that growing global demand with the purchase of a clinical manufacturing site located in Austria.
 
As the healthcare environment continues to evolve, the global shift towards specialized medications, complex molecules, and smaller batch sizes has rapidly expanded the role of the manufacturing partner. “An ever-growing number of pharmaceutical and biotech companies are seeking manufacturing partners who provide comprehensive clinical manufacturing resources as well as customized and product specific support with their development strategy,” said Senator h.c. Udo J. Vetter, chairman of the advisory board, Vetter. “The new site expands our European footprint and can be seen as counterpart to our existing U.S. clinical manufacturing site near Chicago.”  

 
The production site was purchased along with its existing inventory including a vial filling line and a freeze dryer for liquid and lyophilized products as well as material preparation and laboratory equipment.
 
Thomas Otto, managing director, Vetter, said, “With the additional site we will further support our capability for early clinical development in Phase I and Phase II. Over the coming months the facility will be evaluated and modified to the extensive Vetter quality and process standards in aseptic fill and finish for injection systems. Only an hour’s drive from Vetter’s headquarters in Ravensburg, Germany, the new site is well-positioned for a successful integration into our existing clinical operations.”
 
Vetter Development Service Rankweil (VDS-R) plans call for the start of operations in the second half of 2021.