AVANT opens vaccine facility

Avant Immunotherapeutics has unveiled its state-of-the-art, pilot manufacturing facility in Fall River, MA, US. The facility will develop and manufacture Avant's 'next generation' vaccines for Phase I, II and III clinical trials and eventual commercial sale.

According to Avant president and ceo Dr Una Ryan, who is also chairman of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council: 'Avant's Fall River pilot manufacturing facility will develop products that prevent disease, improve the quality of life and are often life-saving. The new facility provides us with strategically important growth opportunities and access to a highly desirable workforce. It is conveniently located at the crossroads of Interstate 195 and Route 24 in close proximity to Boston and Providence. From a strategic business perspective, the Fall River plant complements Avant's research, process development and clinical expertise by adding cutting edge manufacturing capabilities and increased efficiencies.'

Avant's current vaccine and immunotherapeutics product portfolio includes cholesterol management, cardiac surgery, infectious disease, biodefense and food safety. The company has three marketed products:

- Rotarix, a two dose oral vaccine against rotavirus, a disease which causes infant diarrhea,

- Megan Egg, a vaccine to protect against Salmonella infection in laying hens and eggs and

- Megan Vac, a vaccine to protect against Salmonella infection in broilers.

Avant also has six products in clinical development, including CETi-1, a therapeutic vaccine for cholesterol management and TP10, an innovative therapy for cardiac surgery.

US senator Edward Kennedy, who has worked with Avant on key issues related to health care r&d, welcomed the company's decision to expand to Fall River: 'Avant is in the vanguard of current research and development on some of the most promising vaccines and biochemical products to prevent and treat disease. The Fall River facility is a welcome addition to our state's leadership on the cutting edge of modern health care and it will also be a significant new economic engine for all the communities in Southeastern Massachusetts. CEO Una Ryan is an outstanding chair of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and I commend her for her major role in the biotech revolution and all she's done for our state.'

The Fall River facility is an 11,800 square foot, multi-product, full service, GMP manufacturing facility. With corporate headquarters and r&d operations in Needham, Avant is the first life science company to begin operations in Fall River. Dr. Ryan said Governor Mitt Romney was instrumental in convincing Avant to expand operations in Massachusetts by touting the state's pro-business incentives, such as the manufacturing tax credit recently put in place for the biotech industry. 'With the state's educated workforce and top-of-the-line infrastructure, Avant could not have chosen a better place to expand,' said Romney. 'This impressive facility serves as a new source of growth for the Fall River region and will encourage additional life science companies to locate here.'

Avant's pilot facility will manufacture genetically altered, harmless bacterial organisms for potentially life-saving vaccines for clinical trials and eventual commercial sale. Initially staffed by approximately a dozen employees, the company expects to expand the workforce to 20 in 2005.

The Fall River facility will have two manufacturing suites, a purification suite, two quality control labs, supporting area clean rooms, future expansion areas and office space. The facility will apply Avant's VitriLife preservation technology, a patented process that enables the production of thermostable (room temperature) vaccines for its own and its partners' product lines.

Dr. Ryan concluded: "With this opening Avant embarks on a very important chapter of its history and development as a leading life sciences company. We are now able to manufacture for clinical development and eventual sale life-saving vaccines to address as of yet unmet global health care needs. I am very excited about our new partnership with Fall River and believe that it will be a great place for life science companies like Avant to do business.' The facility will operate in full compliance with US FDA requirements, European regulations and guidelines and in accordance with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) guidelines.