US-based biopharmaceutical company Pfizer began the construction of a new research and development (R&D) laboratory and office facility in Missouri, US, in June 2017.

The new facility will be located at 875 West Chesterfield Parkway in the city of Chesterfield, St. Louis County, and is set to accommodate more than 450 scientists and researchers and create up to 80 new jobs in the state.

Pfizer aims to transfer its current R&D and manufacturing facilities at the Monsanto Chesterfield Village Research Center and at the Missouri Research Park in St. Charles County to the new Chesterfield building, which is scheduled to be completed in 2019.

The new facility will help increase the company’s product and process development capabilities in biologics and vaccine therapy, while strengthening its overall presence in the region.

Design and features of Pfizer’s Chesterfield R&D facility

Pfizer’s new R&D campus has been designed in accordance with LEED sustainability certification standards.

It will incorporate flexible laboratory layouts, utility spaces, scientific casework, advanced conferencing technologies, and open office design to encourage a collaborative work environment.

The lab section is linear in shape and will be situated parallel to the office zone. A generous corridor will connect the lab with the office space to ensure easy access to both sections.

The first floor will feature a dining facility, while the other floors will be provided with a centralised cafe.

Drugs produced at Pfizer’s new R&D site

Pfizer’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing and process development facility is set to cover an area of 295,000ft², and will allow the company’s BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences group and partners to conduct research and development activities.

A team of researchers and scientists will be employed at the new facility to develop manufacturing processes and dosage forms using analytical technologies, non-GMP manufacturing and scale-up studies.

The work conducted at the facility will help develop new biotherapeutic medicines for inflammation, vaccines, immunology, oncology, internal medicine, monoclonal antibodies, rare diseases, and biosimilars.

Timeline and financing

Pfizer initially unveiled plans to build the Chesterfield facility in November 2016. The site plan was then approved by Chesterfield’s Planning Commission in January 2017.

Total investment on the new facility is estimated to be approximately $200m.

The State of Missouri and St. Louis County agreed to offer a strategic economic incentive package to Pfizer in support of the new facility, subject to job creation.

Contractors involved

Pfizer selected a team comprising CRG, Forum Studio, and Clayco to design, construct, finance, manage and lease the new facility.

Clayco and its subsidiary CRG are providing design-build services, while Ewing Cole and Forum Studio are responsible to provide landscaping design, engineering and architecture, as well as interior and lab design.

Marketing commentary on Pfizer

Pfizer was established in 1849 and is primarily engaged in the development and manufacture of medicines, vaccines and other healthcare products.

The company has a global presence in 46 countries and a workforce of approximately 96,500.

It currently has 63 manufacturing facilities worldwide, including St. Louis, Missouri; Pearl River, New York; Cambridge and Andover, Massachusetts; Groton, Connecticut; Sandwich and Cambridge, UK; and San Francisco and La Jolla, California.

Pfizer reported $52.824bn in revenues for the fiscal year 2016.