Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services, a provider of biopharmaceutical CDMO services, has announced a major expansion of small molecule manufacturing capabilities with the addition of a new production facility in Visakhapatnam, India.
Construction of the 8,500 sqm facility began at the end of July 2020 and is expected to be completed mid-2022.
To meet the current and future needs of customers, the new small molecule manufacturing facility doubles the production capacity at the site to 310 m3 for active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and intermediates and has dedicated equipment to manage OEB 4 high potency ingredients. Further, the site has completed renovations on existing laboratory space to support additional R&D activities. It is estimated that the expansion will create at least 60 new jobs at the site.
The US FDA approved Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services India manufacturing site, which was designed, constructed and is managed based on the Aji Bio-Pharma Belgian sites' GMP operating standards and quality systems, has successfully supported a number of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies since its formation in 2011 and continues to win awards for sustainability and quality standards.
"We are very excited to be investing in this additional production capacity to continue delivering high quality, cost-effective small molecule manufacturing services for our customers," said K.V.V. Raju, Head of Site Operations and CEO of Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma India. "This expansion exemplifies our commitment to our vision statement of being a leading, trusted, innovative partner to our clients and our people."
"The increased manufacturing capacity at Aji Bio-Pharma India offers a significant advantage for our small molecule customers, who now have a variety of options to meet their manufacturing needs," said Peter Stuyck, Sr VP and Head of European Operations at Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services. "This expansion optimises capacity across all locations and further enhances Aji Bio-Pharma's commitment in being a leading global and quality-driven CDMO with comprehensive service offerings."
