Pfizer to spend nearly half a billion dollars on sterile manufacturing facility

Pfizer — a US based manufacturing and supply company — has announced its $465 million investment to build an advanced sterile injectable pharmaceutical production facility in Portage, Michigan.

The new 400,000 square foot production facility, which will be known as Modular Aseptic Processing (MAP), will create over 450 new jobs over the next several years.

“This investment is part of our overall plan announced in January to invest approximately $5 billion in US-based capital projects as a result of the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. During the next six years, we expect to invest approximately $1.1 billion in Kalamazoo County — which is in addition to the $1 billion we have invested in the site over the past decade,” said Ian Read, chairman and chief executive officer. “Every day, we strive to enhance our ability to bring medicines to the patients who need them, and the new facility we are building in Michigan will help us continue to deliver therapies that significantly improve people's lives.”

“This investment will strengthen Pfizer’s leadership in sterile manufacturing technology and help meet growing patient demand,” added Kirsten Lund-Jurgensen, PhD, executive vice president and president, Pfizer Global Supply. “It also will create hundreds of highly skilled jobs, fortifying Michigan’s high-tech manufacturing environment.”

Ron Perry, site leader for the Portage plant, revealed the new sterile injectable facility will strengthen the site’s role in Pfizer’s global network. “Sterile drug product manufacturing is incredibly complex. This contemporary facility will combine cutting-edge technology and a highly talented workforce to assure we remain a trusted and reliable supplier of these therapies to patients.”

Groundbreaking of the new site is planned for spring 2019, with construction expected to be completed in 2021. After the facility is validated by regulatory agencies, production is anticipated to begin in 2024.