AstraZeneca buys Colorado manufacturing plant from Amgen

AstraZeneca has purchased a high-tech biologics bulk manufacturing facility from US-based Amgen for an undisclosed sum.

The pharmaceuticals giant said the LakeCentre facility, located in Boulder, Colorado will increase manufacturing and production capacity to support the company’s portfolio of biologics medicines.

The new facility in Boulder adds to the expansion of AstraZeneca’s biologics manufacturing capabilities, following the planned biologics manufacturing investment in Sweden, announced in May, and the expansion in Frederick, Maryland, announced in November 2014.

Pam Cheng, executive vice-president of Operatons and Information Technology, said: “The addition of the Boulder facility will support the progression of biotech drug candidates across our main therapeutic areas as we continue to bring innovative new treatments to patients.

“This site will play an important role in our future commercial production and give AstraZeneca and MedImmune, our global biologics research and development arm, the flexibility and capacity to meet the needs of our rapidly growing biologics portfolio.”

AstraZeneca said it plans to start staffing the facility immediately to support refurbishment and infrastructure improvements. Once complete, the site is expected to be operational and licensed for commercial production by late 2017, providing for additional capacity within the company’s biologics operations.