American-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer will invest nearly $350m to build a latest Global Biotechnology Centre in the Hangzhou Economic Development Area (HEDA), China.
The modern HEDA facility is Pfizer’s first biotechnology centre in Asia and third globally, and will ensure the local production of high-quality, low-cost biosimilar medicines that will benefit patients both in China and worldwide.
The development of the Pfizer Global Biotechnology Centre will feature an advanced modular facility implemented by UK-based GE Healthcare (GE) and ensure further investment in research and development (R&D) and clinical research across China.
Pfizer global supply president Tony Maddaluna said: “We plan on building on Pfizer’s 30-year history in China by applying our global expertise in manufacturing excellence and world-class capabilities to bring high-quality biosimilars to market.
“The local production of high-quality, affordable biosimilar medicines will have the potential to significantly improve the lives of patients not only in China but across the world.”
The global biotechnology facility will feature Pfizer China’s biosimilars and biologics quality, technical service, logistics and engineering divisions, along with commercial manufacturing.
The new centre will also serve as a process development and clinical supply site.
The facility will be equipped with GE’s single-use technology in a KUBio modular facility that helps increase speed-to-market and manufacturing flexibility at costs of 25% to 50% of traditional facilities, in a build time that can be just 18 months as opposed to the usual three years.
It can also help reduce CO2 emissions, water and energy usage by 75%.
Image: Pfizer Global Biotechnology Centre in the HEDA, China. Photo: courtesy of Business Wire.