SAFC expands Carlsbad facility to support commercial-scale gene therapy

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation’s custom manufacturing business unit, SAFC Commercial, has announced the strategic expansion of its existing facility in Carlsbad, California. The investment will further enable SAFC to offer clinical and commercial bulk drug production, as well as fill/finish of viral products for its gene therapy, viral vaccine and immunotherapy customers.

“Gene therapy is an emerging technology, and our SAFC and BioReliance sites in Carlsbad, Rockville and Glasgow have supported this growing industry for years,” said Gilles Cottier, president of SAFC. “This investment is pivotal to our customers and reflects SAFC’s continued dedication to providing the infrastructure customers need to bring their drugs to market.”

The expanded Carlsbad facility complements a global footprint of GMP services in the virus and gene therapy segment, including cell banking in Rockville, Maryland, and manufacturing in the Glasgow location in Scotland, UK. The investment was driven by continued interest in targeted gene therapies for indications such as hemophilia and cancer immunotherapies (CAR-T cells).

Utilising the biosafety testing expertise of BioReliance, the Carlsbad facility provides a full range of GMP manufacturing and testing services to its customers.