ShangPharma and Qidong Biopharma sign US$60m investment deal in China
Preclinical research facility and a state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility to be built in Qidong
ShangPharma has announced plans to establish a subsidiary in the Qidong Biopharma Industrial Zone as part of a multistage expansion project for its biologics service portfolio. In the first phase, Shangpharma and Qidong Biopharma will invest US$60m to build a comprehensive and multifunctional preclinical research facility and a state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility.
The preclinical facility will be operated by ShangPharma’s CRO division, ChemPartner, and the biologics manufacturing facility will be operated by Shangpharma’s CMO division, China Gateway Biologics. During the construction phase of the manufacturing facility, the company's existing biologics CMC facility will continue to operate out of its Shanghai site.
The new China Gateway Biologics’ manufacturing facility will provide commercial-scale operations for biopharmaceuticals. It will comprise one 500L single-use mammalian cell culture line for clinical phase supply and two 2000L lines for commercial manufacturing. These capabilities will be complemented with fill and finish capabilities.
Michael Hui, CEO of ShangPharma, stated: ‘I am proud that Qidong Biopharma has selected ShangPharma as a partner for the first facility of this kind in Qidong. The investment offers China Gateway Biologics the opportunity to grow to the next level as a full biopharmaceutical service provider from preclinical development to commercial scale. We strongly believe the state-of-the-art single-use facility will be able to support our international client base.’
The biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility is expected to be operational in early 2018.
