Fujifilm Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) has selected Holly Springs, North Carolina as the location for a large-scale cell culture production site in the United States. The previously announced investment of more than $2 bn to establish the end-to-end cell culture biopharmaceutical CDMO facility in North America will create 725 jobs in the area by the end of 2028, the company says. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies will operate the facility.
Holly Springs was reportedly selected for its strong pool of technical talent, local resources and partners with competencies, clean energy resources, and sustainability for future growth. With an existing facility in Morrisville, North Carolina, Fujifilm says it’s committed to continue its collaboration with state and local officials, which has been built over the years.
The facility will offer large-scale cell culture manufacturing of bulk drug substance production with 8 x 20000 L bioreactors with the potential to expand and add a further 24 x 20,000 L bioreactors based on market demand. It will also provide commercial scale, automated fill-finish and assembly, packaging, and labelling services. The facility is expected to be operational by spring 2025.
The facility will be designed and built with sustainability as its core, the company claims. The facility design targets 100% clean energy utilisation, waste disposal and recycling, among other sustainability goals.
“Holly Springs, North Carolina is a suitable location for us, as it is one of the most active communities in the US in addressing environmental and social issues,” said Kenji Sukeno, President of Fujifilm Corporation. “Fujifilm will contribute to realizing a sustainable society by collaborating with the Holly Springs community and stimulating the local economy, and further, by accelerating “resolving social issues through business activities” in alignment with our sustainable value plan 2030. And, the new site is strategically important to accelerate the growth of our Bio CDMO business.”
“We are passionate about the tremendous value that this new facility will bring to our partners in producing life-impacting therapies. To build what will be the largest end-to-end cell culture CDMO facility in North America requires commitment and partnership. We are delighted to have received the strong support from the town of Holly Springs and the state of North Carolina. This is building for the future, both in infrastructure and in talent, as part of the vibrant North Carolina biotech hub,” said Martin Meeson, CEO, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies.