MilliporeSigma opens new CDMO facility to create cancer therapy products
by CM Staff
This new US$65 million, 70,000 square foot facility, officially opened on Jun. 23, brings 50 new jobs to the area.
MilliporeSigma has doubled its high-potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPI) production capacity with the expansion of its facility in Verona, near Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
BURLINGTON — MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a science and technology company, has doubled its high-potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPI) production capacity with the expansion of its facility in Verona, near Madison, Wisconsin, USA. This new US$65 million, 70,000 square foot facility, officially opened on Jun. 23, brings 50 new jobs to the area.
“There is an increasing demand for HPAPIs due to their effectiveness against cancer at lower doses and the trend towards more targeted therapeutics. Lower-doses of these therapies reduce the negative side effects for patients who are taking on this critical fight,” said Dirk Lange, Head of Life Science Services, Life Science business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Increasing capacity at our state-of-the-art facility in Verona, Wisconsin will allow us to meet the need for these key cancer treatment components.”
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. HPAPIs are a critical element of targeted therapies due to their extremely effective cell-killing abilities at low doses, resulting in reduced side effects for patients. They are used in novel cancer therapies, including antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), which are changing the landscape of cancer treatments.
HPAPIs require specialized handling and manufacturing facilities that protect the safety of employees and their environment. Many potential life-saving treatments never make it to market in part due to the specialized handling requirements. MilliporeSigma’s Verona, Wisconsin site was the second facility in the world to be SafeBridge®-certified and the company continues to try and meet containment requirements necessary to this day.
In addition to HPAPI production, MilliporeSigma also has a background in developing and manufacturing ADCs. Being the first CDMO to manufacture commercially approved ADC drugs in North America, the company recently launched new technologies to advance ADC therapies. Its ChetoSensar™ technology reportedly gives new promise to ADCs by alleviating solubility challenges, and MilliporeSigma’s new DOLCORE™ platform reduces development and manufacturing time required.
