WACKER Expands Biologics Operation in Jena, Germany
o Investment of 15 Million
o Expansion of Existing Production-Plant
o New Building for Process Development and Quality Control
o Investment Secures Further Growth in Promising Biologics Market
Munich and Jena, November 7, 2007 - WACKER is strengthening its biopharmaceutical operations in Jena, Germany. The Munich-based chemical Group is investing around 15 million in this undertaking, which involves the GMP expansion of its Jena produc-tion facility and the construction of a new building there for process development and quality control. Through Wacker Biotech GmbH, WACKER's Jena-based subsidiary, the Group intends to secure fur-ther growth in biologics (pharmaceutical proteins) over the next few years and to strengthen its position in this market. Biologics increas-ingly find application as active ingredients in pharmaceuticals. They are used, for example, in the treatment of cancer, multiple sclerosis and hepatitis. Thanks to the Jena expansion, WACKER will offer customers support not only during clinical trials but also with the com-mercial supply of their products. At the same time, WACKER will be able to meet the growing demand for its patented E. coli-based pro-teine secretion process.
"The new facilities will enable us to greatly accelerate our growth in the attractive biologics market," states Dr. Gerhard Schmid, president of WACKER FINE CHEMICALS, the Group's biotech and fine chemicals division.
WACKER's investment involves two expansion projects at its Jena site, which is on the Beutenberg Campus (where 1,500 scientists conduct research). The first project will double the manufacturing space at the existing GMP facility, partly by adding a completely new purification station to help ease bottlenecks. This station will also comply with GMP pharmaceutical manufacturing standards, in accor-dance with FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) and EMEA (European Medicines Evaluation Agency) regulations. The expansion will give Wacker Biotech the capacity customers need for biologics that are almost ready for market supply. The new facility is scheduled to come on stream at the end of 2009.
The second project concerns a new process-development and quality-control building.
The focus here is on a proprietary E. coli-based proteine secretion technology developed by WACKER. This patented system has proved highly popular among customers because it is a cost-efficient way of producing proteins. As a result, Wacker Biotech is expanding its process-development facilities to meet increasing customer demand. Wacker Biotech's quality control labs are being expanded, as well, to enable the company to optimally satisfy ever-growing demand for detailed product and process characterization. The new building is scheduled for completion in late 2008.
"By investing in a new manufacturing facility, WACKER has taken another important strategic step into the promising and fast-growing biologics market," says Dr. Thomas Maier, managing director of Wacker Biotech. "WACKER can offer its customers the production capacity they need for their successful products. At the same time, we can make our secretion system available to even more customers."
Wacker Biotech
Wacker Biotech GmbH is a full-service contract manufacturer of bio-pharmaceuticals derived from microbial systems. Its portfolio ranges from services in molecular biology, analytical and process development, through the GMP-compliant production of clinical test material, to actives for commercial market supply. Above all, Wacker Biotech offers proprietary technologies that satisfy market needs for cost-efficient and high-quality production. Two examples are its E. coli-based secretion system and a high-cell-density fermentation process. Wacker Biotech, Jena, is a wholly-owned WACKER subsidiary.
For further information, please access: http://www.wacker.com/biologics
The company in brief:
WACKER is a globally active chemical company with some 14,700 employees and annual sales of around 3.34 billion (2006). WACKER has 22 production sites and over 100 sales offices worldwide.
WACKER SILICONES
Silicone fluids, emulsions, rubber and resins; silanes; pyrogenic silicas;
thermoplastic silicone elastomers
WACKER POLYMERS
Dispersible polymer powders and dispersions for applications in the construction industry; PVAc solid resins; VC copolymers; polyvinyl butyrals and acetates
WACKER FINE CHEMICALS
Fine chemicals, biologics and other biotech products, such as cyclodextrins and cysteine
WACKER POLYSILICON
Polysilicon for the semiconductor and photovoltaics industries Siltronic Hyperpure silicon wafers and monocrystals for semiconductor devices
For further information, please contact:
Wacker Chemie AG
Media Relations & Information
Nadine Baumgartl
Tel. +49 89 6279-1604
Fax +49 89 6279-2604
nadine.baumgartl@wacker.com
Wacker Chemie AG
Hanns-Seidel-Platz 4
81737 München, Germany
www.wacker.com
