Thermo Fisher Scientific stated that it would invest more than $475m (€439m) in 2020 to increase its capabilities and capacity for biologics, cell and gene therapies, and drug products.
The investment adds the sums expended during 2019 to see the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) spend approximately $800m over the two-year period.
Thermo Fisher outlined that it would continue the buildout of its St. Louis, US, site, which it recently undertook and completed through an investment of $50m. The expansion saw the site double its capacity for biological drug substance development and manufacture.
Further than this, the same site will host a ‘Bioprocessing Collaboration Center’, which is due to open in July of this year.
The company will also expand its capabilities in the cell and gene therapy area, after its purchase of gene therapy specialist, Brammer Bio, by opening a cell therapy development and manufacturing collaboration center in Princeton. This development arrives after it previously expanded viral vector development at its site in Lexington.
"We will continue making investments so that customers can start with us in development and stay with us throughout the product lifecycle, all the while remaining confident that we'll continue to capitalize on the broad resources and expertise within Thermo Fisher to provide access to new specialized technology and expertise as the industry evolves and innovates," said Mike Shafer, president of Thermo Fisher’s pharma services business.
Similar to other large CDMOs, it has focused on improving capabilities and capacity in the advanced therapeutics space, as it followed up the Brammer Bio takeover by doubling its capacity at its facility in Florida for gene therapy and viral vector processing.
Without adding specifics, the CDMO also noted that it would scale up its sterile drug development and commercial capabilities for sterile injectables.