Novasep invests €10m in commercial aseptic fill/finish facility

Novasep is investing €10m ($11.88) in a commercial fill/finish facility for viral vectors, mAbs, and other low-volume biologics, as part of its plan to double in size by 2022.

The facility will be located in Seneffe, Belgium and is expected to be operational in H2 2019.

According to Novasep, the facility will be able to deliver up to 10 000 vials per session, with 2 to 3 sessions per week. The investment – part of the company’s Rise-2 strategic growth cycle – will also allow Novasep to respond to demand for orphan and targeted biopharmaceutical drugs.

Jean Bléhaut, president of Novasep's manufacturing solutions business unit said: "The trend towards targeted therapies has created a growing need for specialized capacities."

Subsequently, the company has launched a “series of major projects” to expand its biomanufacturing services for selected types of drug substances and fill/finish activities, he added.

Novaep previous announced an investment of €17m ($20.19) in a dedicated cGMP clinical scale mAb production facility in Pompey, France. The facility will be commissioned in H2 2019.

The company has also invested €27m ($32.07) in a new commercial-scale viral vector production facility in Seneffe, Belgium, which is expected to be fully qualified by Q1 2019.

“With this third investment, Novasep furthers its engagement to the RISE-2 strategic plan aimed at doubling the company's size by 2022," said Dr. Michel Spagnol, Novasep, chairman and CEO.