JSR Life Sciences to expand KBI Biopharma and Selexis’ biologics manufacturing capabilities

With a combined area of 8,700m² in the Stellar 32 campus within Geneva’s ZIPLO, the newly expanded facility will co-locate primary European operations of both companies.

KBI Biopharma’s expanded facility will provide clinical cGMP biologics bulk drug substance manufacturing services for European clients, while Selexis’ new workspaces will help meet the increasing demand for its specialised mammalian cell line development technologies and services.

The new facilities of both companies are expected to create more than 250 new technical jobs.

Expected to be operational by mid-2022, KBI Biopharma’s new 5,600m² biologic bulk drug substance manufacturing facility will provide cGMP bulk drug substances to the customers. It is expected to create over 200 technical positions in development, operations, and quality assurance.

The expanded facility includes two 2,000L single-use cGMP manufacturing trains with process development and analytical testing labs on site.

cGMP quality control testing for release and in-process testing will be conducted on-site in the new Geneva facility. cGMP testing of drug substance and drug product stability will be continued to be conducted at the KBI Biopharma BVBA laboratories in Leuven, Belgium.

Expected to be operational by mid-2021, Selexis’ new Geneva facility will comprise laboratory, office, health/wellness, and employee common spaces.

The new facility will meet technical requirements of Selexis cell line workflows, including department-wide segregation and advanced monitoring systems.

In addition, the facility will feature two separate cell culture suites to accommodate quarantined client-specific cell lines or client-dedicated cell line spaces.

JSR Life Sciences president Tim Lowery said: “This strategic investment in our European operations creates new options by linking the core strengths of our affiliates, increases efficiencies, and ultimately accelerates our customers’ ability to bring innovative life science products into the marketplace.

“In addition, KBI and Selexis will benefit from the extensive biopharma industrial base, advanced technical resources, and specialized education offerings in this region.”

In June 2017, JSR Life Sciences announced the acquisition of life sciences firm and mammalian cell-line generation technologies provider Selexis for an undisclosed sum.