WuXi Biologics starts building US$20m plant in Wuxi
Zhou Wenchang, chief technology officer and senior vice president of WuXi Biologics (sixth from left) and Wuxi Vice Mayor Wang Jinjian (seventh from left) pose with other officials from the Wuxi Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone at the collaboration signing ceremony in Wuxi.
WuXi Biologics, a Hong Kong-listed biopharmaceutical company, said on Wednesday that construction of a US$20 million integrated biologics conjugate R&D and manufacturing center has started in Wuxi in neighboring Jiangsu Province.
To be operational in 2019, the 6,000-square-meter facility will provide integrated solutions from concept to commercialization of biologics conjugates including Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) and other protein conjugates.
ADCs are complex molecules composed of an antibody linked to a biologically active cytotoxic drug, which has been adopted for a number of innovative treatments for targeted tumor therapy.
The Wuxi plant marks the third biological drug product manufacturing facility for WuXi Biologics, a unit of WuXi AppTec Group. One plant is already operational and the second facility is still under construction.
“We'll keep collaborating with the chemistry pharmaceutical division of WuXi AppTec Group to provide a one-stop service to global partners for antibodies, small molecule payloads, ADCs drug substance and drug products," said Chris Chen, CEO of WuXi Biologics.
Last month, WuXi Biologics said it would invest 325 million euros (US$376 million) in a new biologics drug manufacturing facility in Ireland, the first overseas investment for a Chinese pharma company.
It also plans to build two manufacturing sites in Singapore and Massachusetts in the US as a part of its global expansion strategy.
