STA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of WuXi AppTec (WuXi STA), has signed an investment agreement with the government of Shanghai, Jinshan District to build a new R&D center. The new facility will strengthen WuXi STA’s global pharmaceutical development and manufacturing platform, enabling drug developers to accelerate their projects from preclinical to commercial stage.

The company has five sites in China and the U.S. The Jinshan site currently focuses on manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and advanced intermediates from kilo to metric ton scale. The site has been approved by multiple international regulatory agencies, including the U.S. FDA.

The new R&D center will be located next to the existing Jinshan drug substance manufacturing site, adding more than 30,000 square meters of laboratory space and 500 scientists. Upon completion, the expanded Jinshan campus will be able to offer an integrated one-site solution for partners to push forward APIs and advanced intermediates from preclinical and clinical development through to global commercial launch. The new campus will also provide access to technology platforms such as flow chemistry, biocatalysis, and high potency from laboratory to commercial scale.

“The new R&D center is a reflection of our commitment to better serve customers worldwide and support growth in the local economy, as well as the biopharmaceutical ecosystem in Jinshan,” said Dr. Minzhang Chen, chief executive officer, WuXi STA. “As we continuously strengthen the capability and capacity of our platform, we will enable more global partners to shorten development timelines and lower the cost of new drug development, improving the lives of people around the world.”