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GROWING PRESENCE GROWING CAPACITIES
MilliporeSigma investing over €300-mn in new bio- Lonza to buy Roche’s US large-scale biologics site

processing centre in Korea Lonza, the Switzerland-based bio- sfy demand for the next generation of
pharma CDMO, has signed an agree- mammalian biologics therapies. The
MilliporeSigma, the US and Canada ment to acquire the Genentech large- products currently manufactured at
life science business of Germany’s scale biologics manufacturing site in the site by Roche will be supplied by
Merck, is investing more than €300-mn Vacaville, California (US) from Roche Lonza, with committed volumes over
in a new Bioprocessing Production for $1.2-bn. the medium term, phasing out over time
Centre in Daejeon, South Korea. The as the site transitions to serve alter-
new site is the largest investment by the The acquisition will signifi cantly native customers.
company’s life science business sector increase Lonza’s large-scale biolo-
in Asia-Pacifi c to date. The investment gics manufacturing capacity to meet cial biologics is expected to remain Jean-Christophe Hyvert, President,
is expected to create approximately 300 demand for commercial mammalian high across the CDMO industry as in- Biologics, Lonza, commented: “The
additional jobs by the end of 2028. contract manufacturing from custo- novative new therapies reach approval. Vacaville site is a highly valuable stra-
mers with existing commercial pro- The acquisition will provide Lonza’s tegic acquisition that will make capa-
The facility will support biotechno- ducts, and molecules currently on the customers with immediate access to city immediately available for our cus-
logy and pharmaceutical companies in and sterile sampling systems. Cover- Executive Board and CEO Life Science, path to commercialisation within the signifi cant new capacity in the US, tomers and unlock future growth for
process development, clinical research ing an area of 43,000-sq.m., the faci- Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Lonza network, the company said in a currently the world’s largest pharma- our Biologics division. It will support
and commercial manufacturing of bio- lity will include advanced production press release. ceutical market. It will also create a us in providing a commercialization
logics. Biologics are derived from large capacities, a distribution centre and an The company’s new site in South signifi cant West Coast commercial path to existing customers and incre-
and complex biological compounds automated warehouse. Korea is part of a multi-year investment The Vacaville facility currently has manufacturing presence, complement- mental large-scale commercial capacity
and include products like vaccines, cell programme. The programme aims to a total bioreactor capacity of around ing Lonza’s existing biologics site on to our partners.”
and gene therapies, or protein-based “The Asia-Pacifi c region is home increase the capacity and capabilities of 330-kilolitres , making it one of the the East Coast, in Portsmouth (US), as
therapies, such as monoclonal antibo- to a large number of institutions that its life science business sector to support largest biologics manufacturing sites in well as its international network across Upon closing of the deal, the Vaca-
dies. They are one of the fastest-growing conduct leading-edge and innovative the growing global demand for critical the world by volume. Under the agree- Europe and Asia. ville site will be integrated into Lonza’s
class of drugs. research, manufacturing and services in drugs and to make signifi cant contri- ment, approximately 750 Genentech biologics division, joining a network
areas such as biotechnology, mRNA and butions to public health. Since 2020, employees at the facility will be offered Lonza plans to invest approximately of existing mammalian manufacturing
The new centre will provide essen- gene therapy. Our goal is to foster deep the company has announced industrial employment by Lonza. CHF 500-mn (over $55-mn) in addi- sites in Visp (Switzerland), Slough
tial biotech products such as dry pow- collaboration to increase the speed in capacity and capabilities expansion pro- tional capex to upgrade the Vacaville (UK), Singapore (SG), Portsmouth
der cell culture media, process liquids, bringing new therapies to patients,” said jects in life science throughout Europe, Demand for capacity for commer- facility and enhance capabilities to sati- (US) and Porriño (Spain).
pre-GMP small-scale manufacturing Mr. Matthias Heinzel, Member of the China, and the US, of more than €2-bn.
EMISSION REDUCTION
DIVESTMENT Aker Carbon Capture awarded study and test
IFF to sell its pharma solutions business to Roquette

US-based fragrances & fl avours is primarily made up of businesses our commitment to reducing debt lever- campaign from Wacker
major, IFF, has agreed to sell its Pharma within IFF’s existing Pharma Solutions age to 3.0x or below.” Mr. Pierre Cour- Norway’s Aker Carbon Capture ducing two key products in its portfolio: Director Delivery Functions and After-
Solutions business unit to French plant- division, with some adjustments to the duroux, CEO of Roquette, stated, “The has been awarded a feasibility study silicones and hyper-pure polysilicon. market at Aker Carbon Capture.
based ingredients specialist, Roquette, perimeter of the transaction designed combination of our excipients expertise and an eight-months test campaign to Currently, the silicon metal produced
for an enterprise value of up to to align customers, businesses and the with IFF Pharma is a fantastic opportu- explore the capture of CO emissions in Holla covers around one-third of Aker Carbon Capture said its mobile
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$2.85-bn. manufacturing footprint. nity to become a true global specialist from Wacker’s metallurgical-grade demand at Wacker’s sites in Germany. test unit is a complete CO capture plant
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of drug delivery and oral dosage solu- silicon production at the Holla plant in that includes the company’s carbon
IFF’s Pharma Solutions business is Commenting on the development, tions.” Kyrksæterøra, Norway. The German “The test campaign will provide capture technology, meaning that the
a leading manufacturer of pharmaceu- IFF’s CEO Mr. Erik Fyrwald, said, chemical group has set a goal to halve valuable learning for implementation results from test campaigns are scalable
tical excipients and includes its Global “An important next step in our portfolio The Pharma Solutions business ope- its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 of our carbon capture technology in a towards large scale plants. It is trans-
Specialty Solutions business support- optimisation strategy, the sale of Pharma rates 10 R&D and/or production sites and be net zero by 2045. new industry. Additionally, the feasibi- portable, fl exible and can operate on
ing industrial and methyl cellulosic Solutions, along with other recent globally, with approximately 1,100 lity study will explore commercial different fl ue gases. Aker Carbon Capture
food applications. The Pharma Solu- actions such as our dividend rightsizing, employees, and generated approxi- Silicon metal is one of Wacker’s application of the technology at the has more than 35,000 operating hours
tions business being sold to Roquette represents a signifi cant step towards mately $1-bn revenue in 2023. most important raw materials for pro- Holla plant,” said Ms. Tove Ormevik, on different fl ue gases around the world.

154 Chemical Weekly April 2, 2024 Chemical Weekly April 2, 2024 155

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