The new mammalian cGMP CBF will be available as part of a larger development and manufacturing programme, or as a stand-alone service.
Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies UK managing director Steve Bagshaw said, "I am delighted that we have commissioned the Cell Bank Facility within a year of its commencement, and have already started work on our first customer programme."
Earlier the company installed new process development and scale-up capabilities which is followed by the second stage of expansion of the mammalian cell culture capabilities at the site.
The new CBF will support delivery of manufacturing programmes for both Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies’ Billingham UK, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, US facilities.
Subsequently the company expects to commission a new cGMP manufacturing facility in Billingham that is under construction.
The new facility is expected to be on-line in the fourth quarter of 2013 and will initially offer 200L and 1000L single-use bioreactors, with 2000L bioreactors planned for 2014.