Agilent breaks ground on manufacturing expansion in Colorado

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The Colorado facility. Pic:Agilent

Agilent Technologies is making a $725m investment to double manufacturing capacity of therapeutic nucleic acids in Frederick, Colorado.

The site produces siRNA, antisense molecules, and CRISPR guide RNA molecules: with the company saying its CDMO services offers cGMP facilities to produce high-volume oligos efficiently and cost effectively from early-stage clinical development to commercialization.

Agilent CEO Mike McMullen says the expansion will create more than 160 life science jobs in the Frederick area as well as contributing to the state’s growing biotechnology ecosystem.

“Agilent has had a growing presence in Colorado for more than 20 years. We are very excited about this next phase of investment in this rapidly growing area of biotechnology,” he said. “We’re proud to be helping to drive this growth by creating innovative therapeutics that improve the quality of life.”

Colorado Governor Jared Polis, local government officials and leaders from Agilent Technologies were present at a ground breaking ceremony on Thursday (16 February). A $25,000 donation from Agilent to P-TECH, a program at Frederick High School that enables students from underrepresented communities to graduate with associate degrees in the life sciences, was announced at the ceremony.

The expansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. 

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Agilent Vice President Brian Carothers, Frederick Mayor Tracie Crites, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Agilent President Sam Raha, and Agilent CFO Bob McMahon break ground on Agilent's new manufacturing facility