PTx buys Sanofi Leukine plant in WA, plans to add jobs

The deal sees Massachusetts headquartered Partner Therapeutics gain the global rights to Leukine (sargramostim), a recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) approved in the US for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in older patients and for use in bone marrow transplantation.

Financials of the deal were not disclosed, but PTx will add Sanofi-Genzyme’s dedicated Leukine facility in Lynnwood, Washington to its network to serve as its core manufacturing and supply chain centre.

“We will invest appropriately to keep the facility running well,”​ PTx’s CFO Bill McClements told Biopharma-Reporter. “We are keeping the roughly 100 employees and will be hiring over the coming months.”​

Sanofi’s biologics division Genzyme acquired Leukine from Bayer Healthcare in 2009​. In 2012, the Lynnwood facility was certified for commercial production.

Details about the volumes produced at the plant and the equipment used were not divulged when asked.