Kyowa Kirin, a pharmaceutical company based in Japan, will build a new biologics manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina, expanding its worldwide manufacturing presence in North America.
The facility will produce cutting-edge biologic therapies, such as next-generation antibodies, for the company’s upcoming clinical trials and future commercial purposes. It will help in establishing more robust and efficient supply chains that can better withstand changing global dynamics.
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Kyowa Kirin approved an investment of up to $530m to build the facility in June 2024. Construction will commence in the second half of 2024, with the facility expected to be fully operational by 2027. The facility will generate 102 new jobs.
Location
The facility will be situated within the Helix Innovation Park at the Brickyard in northern Lee County in Sanford. The innovation park is an 895-acre (362 hectare) industrial park designed for advanced manufacturing and life sciences, owned by Helix Ventures and Trustwell Group.
75 acres of land was acquired by the company within the innovation park for the development of the facility.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the state’s assistance to the company throughout its site evaluation and decision-making process. The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) collaborated with state and local partners, including the North Carolina Biotechnology Center to help with site selection for the project.
The location offers connectivity to the state’s life sciences industry and workforce development resources. The facility will benefit from proximity to North Carolina’s life sciences hub, the Research Triangle Park region and the expertise of renowned universities and community colleges.
Kyowa Kirin biologics manufacturing plant details
The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will have a gross floor area of 171,700ft² (15,951m²). It will house two bioreactors that will expedite the development and manufacturing of novel biological therapies to advance the clinical pipeline for patients with rare and serious diseases.
The facility will be designed to scale alongside the company’s existing Takasaki Plant in Japan, facilitating technology transfer between the two sites and increasing production capacity.
The master plan offers flexibility for future growth and new capabilities. Additional land has been secured for potential future expansions in line with the company’s growing needs as its pipeline programmes progress.
Financing details and partners involved
The project is expected to receive performance-based state and local incentives amounting to $10m over 12 years.
It will also receive support from a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee in February 2024.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the EDPNC partnered with a host of organisations to support the initiative. These include Carolina Core,the City of Sanford. Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Lee County, NCBiotech, the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina State University, the Sanford Area Growth Alliance, the NC Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System and the Research Triangle Regional Partnership.
Marketing commentary on Kyowa Kirin
Kyowa Kirin is dedicated to addressing some of the most challenging medical conditions, where the demand for treatment is substantial and the opportunity to significantly improve patients’ lives exists.
With a legacy spanning more than 70 decades in drug discovery and biotechnological advancements, Kyowa Kirin is at the forefront of developing advanced antibodies, as well as cell and gene therapies aimed at providing relief to individuals suffering from severe or rare illnesses.
The Sanford facility will add to the company’s global manufacturing network, including sites in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture and Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan.
The company’s North American operations are spread locations including offices in Princeton, New Jersey, and Toronto, Canada, along with a research institute in La Jolla, California.
Globally, Kyowa Kirin operates five research centres dedicated to the initial stages of drug discovery. The facilities are instrumental in creating innovative treatments across therapeutic areas such as nephrology, oncology, immunology and allergy, neurology and rare diseases.
