December 18, 2020 – Thermo Fisher Scientific (Waltham, MA) announced the construction of a new cGMP plasmid DNA manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, California. The site will expand the company’s clinical and commercial capabilities for cGMP plasmid DNA used as a critical raw material to develop and manufacture cell and gene-based therapies including life-saving cancer treatments as well as mRNA vaccines. In addition, the site will have the capability to produce large-scale plasmid DNA as a primary drug substance for DNA therapies.
The 67,000-square-foot facility, expected to be completed in the first half of 2021, will feature advanced technologies, including single use equipment with up to 1,000L scale, digital connectivity and data visibility to enable operational efficiencies and operator training.
Located on the Carlsbad campus of Thermo Fisher’s center of excellence for life sciences solutions, the new commercial facility will add approximately 150 jobs over the next 12 months.
This expansion builds on the company’s continued investment in cell and gene therapy services. Customers can leverage its fully integrated development and manufacturing capabilities, including viral vector services in Cambridge, Lexington and Plainville, Mass., and Alachua, Fla.; a new cell therapy manufacturing facility in Princeton, N.J.; and, a new dedicated cryocenter in Weilam Rhein, Germany to provide specialized cryogenic and cold chain supply chain services to support clinical trials across Europe and globally.