Thermo Fisher Scientific Opens New Bioprocessing Facility

Scientific technology and products provider Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. announced Wednesday that is new Bioprocessing Collaboration Center (BCC) opened next to its biologics manufacturing plant in St. Louis, MO.

The company said the combined expertise of its bioproduction and pharma services businesses will provide biopharma firms with flexible and scalable biologics development and manufacturing capabilities.

“Our St. Louis site is among the world’s largest producers of biologics using single-use technology and the ideal location for this unique collaboration,” Michael Shafer, senior vice president and president, pharma services for Thermo Fisher Scientific, said in a release. “These complimentary businesses will work together to develop innovative bioprocessing technologies, products and services. This will enhance bioprocess workflows and enable our customers to take their products to market faster and with greater efficiency.”

Four out of 10 drugs under development last year were based on biologics, according to Thermo Fisher. The BCC will work on creating new single-use bioprocessing technologies and to further improvements in critical process, data management and quality that make scaling up production easier.

Since 2019, the company has invested $800 million in its pharma services business. Thermo Fisher recently wrapped up a $50 million expansion of its St. Louis facility, doubling its capacity for biological drug substance development and commercial manufacturing.