WuXi PharmaTech to Build Third Mfg. Facility for Cell Therapies

WuXi PharmaTech is building a new, 145,000-sq.-ft. cGMP facility in Philadelphia for the manufacture of cell therapies. This facility will contain viral vectors such as chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T cell) therapies, which are T cells harvested from a patient’s body, engineered to target specific cancers, and then reintroduced into the body. The company currently has a facility for biological safety and lot release testing in Philadelphia.
 
This will be WuXi’s third cell therapy manufacturing facility when operational in mid-2016. It will provide contract development and cGMP manufacturing capabilities for clinical studies and commercial supply to support industry’s unique requirements in this growing area. By 2016, WuXi will have 206,000 sq.-ft. of manufacturing capacity in the U.S. for clinical and commercial production of cell therapies. 
 
“Cell therapies like CAR T cells offer important new treatment options for cancer patients, and WuXi aims to be at the forefront of this area of providing our partners with cutting-edge cGMP manufacturing capabilities and capacities,” said Dr. Ge Li, chairman and chief executive officer of WuXi PharmaTech.