Emergent BioSolutions, a Rockville-based biopharmaceutical firm, announced last Friday that it has completed the purchase of a 55,000 square foot building, which it plans to use to expand its drug development and testing. Emergent acquired the manufacturing facility from
MdBio Foundation as well as the land upon which it stands from Baltimore City for $8.2 million. The building previously operated as a
Food and Drug Administration (
FDA) licensed facility used by an experienced contract manufacturing organization (CMO) to produce a number of
FDA approved products.
"Emergent is excited about this new facility in Baltimore because it houses several suites capable of manufacturing multiple products at the same time," says Fuad El-Hibri, chairman and chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. "Accordingly, this facility will provide the flexibility to conduct large-scale manufacturing of rPA while also producing other products in our pipeline."
Emergent BioSolutions employs over 600 employees around the world, with over 150 employees located in its corporate headquarters in Rockville and one of its product development sites in Gaithersburg. The company will reportedly hire 125 employees to staff the new facility.
"This acquisition reflects our commitment to both continually creating jobs and investing additional capital in the State of Maryland," says Daniel J. Abdun-Nabi, president and chief operating officer of Emergent BioSolutions. "We extend our sincere appreciation to the state and local governments for their ongoing support of our efforts to develop our local manufacturing capabilities and look forward to growing Emergent's presence in the state."
Source: Emergent BioSolutions
Writer: Walaika Haskins