September 2023 saw a wave of new pharmaceutical manufacturing facility expansions and launches across Europe.
With the goal of supplying cell therapies, vaccines and other essential medicines such as antibody drugs to patients, the facilities aim to address major supply challenges and navigate the intricacies of producing fragile biological products. Importantly, each site features advanced technologies to support development and manufacture of these therapeutics.
Research by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), released in September this year, highlighted progress for UK manufacturing in its latest Industrial Trends Survey. While the data was based on responses from 292 manufacturers across all sectors, the outcomes are applicable to pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“Output in the manufacturing sector weakened over the past quarter and is expected to flatline at best through the rest of this year. With order books having been below their long-run average for eight out of the last nine months, manufacturers see little prospect of a recovery in the final months of the year.
“Materials and financing costs are high and squeezing manufacturers and their customers alike. The [UK Government’s] Autumn Statement provides an important opportunity for the Government to lay the foundations for a sustainable recovery through a broad focus on tax incentives for investment, support with upskilling workers and help for firms to make the most of green growth opportunities,” Anna Leach, CBI’s Deputy Chief Economist commented upon the survey’s release.
Sustainability in pharmaceutical manufacturing
In mid-September, a 15-year partnership between AstraZeneca and Future Biogas was agreed. The pharmaceutical company stated it will establish the first industrial-scale supply of biomethane. AstraZeneca’s facilities in Macclesfield, the UK’s largest pharma manufacturing site, as well as Cambridge, Luton and Speke will all be supplied by energy from the new facility, which is currently being built.
Alongside biomethane supply, AstraZeneca’s operational investment in energy efficiencies, such as using locally grown crops as feedstock and bioenergy carbon capture at the renewable gas site, brings the company’s total economic pledge for achieving Net Zero to £100 million.
Juliette White, Vice President of Global Sustainability & Safety, Health & Environment at AstraZeneca, commented that its multi-million-pound sustainability commitment shows that the company is “serious about decarbonising the discovery, development and manufacture of medicines and securing a sustainable future for [its] sites across the UK and globally.”
Astellas – sustainable innovation
September also saw Astellas Pharma Inc. make known its intention to build a new €330 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland.
In addition to the investment boosting capacity and capabilities for aseptic drug products, the site will have “sustainability at its core”, Michael Lohan, CEO of Industrial Development Authority (IDA), declared at the time of the announcement. The new facility will reinforce stable production for global supply and accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative medicines such as antibody drugs.
According to Astellas, sustainability measures at the facility will include reducing water consumption by approximately half, a commitment of zero waste to landfill (compared with LEED® baseline), and onsite renewable technology.
The completed facility will have a total floor area of 17,000m2.
Subject to planning permission, the site is expected to be opened by 2028.
A €25 million drug delivery manufacturing investment
To boost capacity in producing user-friendly oral dosage forms, German CDMO HERMES Pharma announced in September it is investing €25 million in its manufacturing capabilities.
Features such as new equipment, increased production and storage capacity and greater operational efficiency will support growing demand. For example, the investment will add expanded Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing space according to the organisation.
Andreas Ulrich, Chief Operating Officer of HERMES Pharma told EPR that the new equipment enables the company to boost output to customers faster. “For example, our new filling lines almost double our output of sachets — with the same floor space and personnel. Similarly, our new coating equipment boosts output approximately six-fold.”
The new equipment also boasts environmental benefits as well as in technology innovation, Ulrich added. “The new filling lines enable us to use smaller sachets with less foil, driving sustainability. What’s more, the new coating equipment will free up older equipment to pilot innovative coating techniques, enabling, for example, products that withstand warmer and humid climates.”
In his response, Ulrich summarised that very few CDMOs have the expertise and capacity to manufacture user-friendly dosage forms. Therefore, this investment is supporting the sector to better deliver the changing needs and preferences of patients.