3M will invest $146 million dollars to expand its capabilities to further support biotech manufacturing. The investment will include facility and equipment improvements and the addition of 60 full-time positions in 3M manufacturing facilities in Europe.

The new investment will accelerate 3M’s development and delivery of vital filtration equipment designed for bioprocessing, biological and small molecule pharmaceutical manufacturing applications, which will enable biotech customers to continue to innovate therapies used for the treatment of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and certain cancers. Filtration and purification are essential in manufacturing biopharmaceutical drugs. The process uses a unique filter material that captures impurities while allowing the necessary drug substances to pass through.

“Our investment further demonstrates 3M’s continued market leadership and ongoing commitment to customer-centric innovation in health care,” said Robert Befidi, president, 3M Separation and Purification Sciences Division. “Our technologies improve the lives of people all over the world, and we are helping biotech customers do more, faster, to advance their specialized medicines.”

3M offers a comprehensive portfolio of depth filters for cell culture clarification in the biopharmaceutical industry. Zeta Plus depth filtration technology, in cartridge systems and sheets, play an important role in the clarification of cell-derived protein therapeutic products around the world.