AstraZeneca Announces $200 Mln Expansion At Frederick Biologics Center

(RTTNews) - UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L, AZN) Friday announced plans to expand its biologics manufacturing center in Frederick, Maryland. The more than $200 million project will increase production capacity at the facility to support AstraZeneca's maturing pipeline, and will help position the company to keep pace with a growing demand for the development and use of biologics, which currently represent nearly 50% of AstraZeneca's overall pipeline.

"Biologics are an important part of AstraZeneca's overall capabilities, in addition to our strengths in small molecules and protein engineering," said Andrew Skibo, regional vice president of biologics supply for AstraZeneca.

"Our global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune, has a robust pipeline of more than 120 biologics, including more than 30 in clinical development. The expansion of our Frederick facility will support the progression of drug candidates across our core therapeutic areas, ultimately aiding us in our efforts to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients through scientific leadership and innovative new treatments."

AstraZeneca's Frederick biologics manufacturing center is an FDA licensed, large-scale cell culture production facility, with hundreds of thousands of square feet of administrative, production, warehouse, laboratory and utility space.

The expansion project, which is anticipated to begin in December and expected to be complete in mid-2017, will add approximately 40,000 additional square feet of manufacturing, laboratory and administrative space. The expansion is also expected to bring a total of 300 new jobs to the site.

AstraZeneca's Frederick manufacturing center is the largest biologics manufacturing facility within the company's global network and portfolio of assets.