Genzyme puts weight behind Myozyme, Lumizyme with Belgian plant
This article was originally published in Scrip
Genzyme has started building an additional €250 million manufacturing plant in Geel, Belgium to support long-term growth of its Pompe disease treatments Myozyme and Lumizyme (both alglucosidase alfa). Commercial approvals for the new site, which will add 8,000 litres of production capacity at Geel, are expected from late 2014. Genzyme is already boosting capacity for Myozyme and Lumizyme at its adjacent plant in Geel, with the addition of a third bioreactor scheduled for approval by the end of this year.
The company will also continue production of the drugs in the US for patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease. The new investment at Geel, which will create around 150 jobs, is part of a programme to increase Genzyme's overall biologics manufacturing capacity four-fold. The company's well-trodden manufacturing problems, following viral contamination at its US plant in Allston, have forced Genzyme into alternative production arrangements, as well as providing additional leverage for Sanofi-Aventis in its fractious takeover bid for the company.