The project will provide about 300,000 new square-feet of manufacturing space.
One of the current administration’s goals is to bring production back to the United States. This is true across a variety of industries, including pharma and biotech. In order to achieve, President Trump has announced a complex plan of tariffs intended to dissuade importing goods that can be manufactured or produced within the US.
Of course, one of the main issues that this plan faces is that there aren’t enough facilities within the US to handle the increase in demand this plan would result in. However, multiple pharma, biotech, and other related companies have announced plans to increase domestic production sites within the US.
The latest announcement comes from Simtra BioPharma Solutions, a global CDMO, with US headquarters located in Parsippany, NJ. The organization announced plans to purchase a 65-acre property near its existing manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Indiana.1 The new property will provide Simtra with 300,000-square-feet of expansion.
In a press release, Simtra Biopharma Solutions chief executive officer Franco Negron said, “This purchase gives us the foundation to grow with purpose, building the advanced injectable capacity our customers need while strengthening our presence in North America. It reflects our long-term commitment to delivering vital injectable products and helping our customers navigate complex global supply chains."
The expansion will allow Simtra to become the CDMO to be able to provide commercial scale drug product manufacturing of antibody-drug conjugates in the United States. The organization is also developing plans to build manufacturing lines at the new site for injectable drug products.
Simtra also has a $250 million construction project at the existing Bloomington site. The company plans to share more specific details about the new project in the coming weeks, after it meets with officials in Monroe County, Indiana, to confirm project approvals.
While the company is actively expanding its presence in the United States, it is still maintaining a global focus. Simtra recently expanded its campus in Halle, Germany, with the construction of a new production building.2 In a press release issued at the end of June, Negron said, “With this expansion in Halle, we are in a great position to help our clients accelerate development of new therapies, such as targeted cancer treatments, and deliver these critical drugs to patients sooner," said Franco Negron, CEO of Simtra BioPharma Solutions. "With the opening of this new facility, we are delivering on our promise to our customers. This state-of-the-art facility further builds out our expertise in large-scale vial filling for liquid and lyophilized products, as well as prefilled syringes, which is a new technology for our Halle site."
Aside from new construction, Simtra is expanding its manufacturing services through partnerships as well. In early June, the CDMO announced a strategic alliance with MilliporeSigma to produce antibody-drug conjugates.3 Outside of the United States and Canada, MilliporeSigma operates under the name Merck KGaA.
In a press release issued at the time, Negron explained, “By bringing together two experts in the ADC value chain, biopharmaceutical companies should benefit from shorter timelines and less complexity, allowing them to focus their efforts on drug discovery. Harmonizing our processes with designated program management from start to finish will give customers greater confidence that their product will be delivered on time and to the highest quality standards—ultimately accelerating the delivery of life-changing therapies to patients who need them most."
