Hillerød, Denmark, Sept. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, a world leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biologics, vaccines, and advanced therapies, held a groundbreaking ceremony today to celebrate the start of its new expansion project to transform the Denmark site into the largest end-to-end CDMO in Europe [1]. The expansion project will strengthen FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies’ cell culture manufacturing services in Denmark and create 450 new jobs.
Participating in the ceremony were Jeppe Kofod, Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kirsten Jensen, Mayor, Hillerød municipality, Manabu Miyagawa, Japanese Ambassador to Denmark, and Kenji Sukeno, Chairman, Representative Director and Board Chairman, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation.
This expansion is funded by a major capital investment of USD 1.6 billion (11 billion Danish kroner) by FUJIFILM Corporation. The expansion will increase the capacity of the current site by adding 8 x 20,000L bioreactors and two downstream processing streams. When the expansion is completed, the site will offer a total of 20 x 20,000L bioreactors for drug substance production complemented by comprehensive drug product and finished goods services.
The expansion project will include sustainability measures to support Fujifilm’s new “Green Value Climate Strategy” with climate action targets including operating on carbon-free energy [2] and achieving net zero CO2 emissions by the end of Fiscal Year 2040. Sustainable production enhancements will focus on initiatives aiming to reduce water consumption, to remove operational dependency on fossil fuels, exploring renewable energy sources, operational electrification, and process optimization to reduce natural gas consumption. In addition, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies will increase engagement with suppliers and customers to reduce the total value chain carbon emissions.
“This is a major milestone in Fujifilm’s transformation journey, further strengthening business portfolio and expanding business as a comprehensive healthcare company,” said Kenji Sukeno. “Today’s celebration is a testament to Fujifilm’s commitment to the future of healthier and more sustainable world. We will never stop taking on challenges to solve social issues through our business activities.”
“FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies is honored to be part of Fujifilm’s relentless pursuit for innovation in life sciences,” said Martin Meeson, chief executive officer, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies. “We are building new facilities and leading the future of biomanufacturing through innovation and sustainability, all while keeping to our core purpose of advancing novel therapies and biosimilars to shape the future of the healthcare and transform patient lives.”
“I am very happy that FUJIFILM Corporation have decided to expand their activities in Denmark. I visited FUJIFILM Corporation in Japan last year and I am proud that Denmark has been able to attract this historic investment from such an innovative company,” stated Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod. “It is part of the Danish government’s strategy for the life science industry to attract such investments to the Danish ecosystem. The fact that we celebrate FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies´ expansion today is also a testament to the strong Danish life science industry, particularly within manufacturing.”
The expansion is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
About FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies
FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation, is a world-leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with experience in the development and manufacture of biologics, vaccines and advanced therapies. The company operates a global network with major locations in the Unites States of America, the United Kingdom and Denmark and it is building a new manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA. FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies has over thirty years of experience in the development and manufacturing of recombinant proteins, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, among other large molecules, viral products and medical countermeasures expressed in a wide array of microbial, mammalian, and host/virus systems. The company offers a comprehensive list of services from cell line development using its proprietary pAVEway™ microbial and Apollo™X cell line systems to process development, analytical development, clinical and FDA-approved commercial manufacturing. Mitsubishi Corporation is a 20% shareholder of FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies’ UK, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Watertown, Massachusetts and College Station, Texas sites. For more information, go to: www.fujifilmdiosynth.com.
About FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation
FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, leverages its depth of knowledge and proprietary core technologies to deliver Value from Innovation in our products and services in the business segments of healthcare, materials, business innovation, and imaging. Our relentless pursuit of innovation is focused on providing social value and enhancing the lives of people worldwide. Fujifilm is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information about Fujifilm’s Sustainable Value Plan 2030, click here. For the year ended March 31, 2022, the company had global revenues of approximately 2.5 trillion yen (21 billion $USD at an exchange rate of 122 yen/dollar). For more information, please visit: www.fujifilmholdings.com.
[1] Based on Fujifilm research as of September 12, 2022. End-to-end encompasses bulk drug substance production, fill finish and final packaging.
[2] Direct emission from the company at the manufacturing stage of the product (Scope 1) and indirect emission due to the use of electricity / steam supplied from other companies (Scope 2).
Christine Jackman FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation 9142614959 christine.jackman@fujifilm.com