Microbial CMO Wacker buys Dutch biotech plant

23-Apr-2018 - Last updated on 23-Apr-2018 at 13:50 GMT

(Image: Getty/Arindam Ghosh)

Wacker Chemie has acquired SynCo Bio’s site for manufacturing biopharmaceuticals, live microbial products, and vaccines, as well as its associated business, including more than 100 employees.

SynCo Bio Luxembourg S.à.r.l operates two fermentation lines – for the manufacture of microbial-derived biopharmaceuticals for clinical testing and the commercial market – with capacities of 1,500 and 270 L.

According to the Munich-based contract manufacturing organization (CMO) Wacker, the Dutch site also features a line of single-use fermenters and a fill/finish facility, which meet good manufacturing practice (GMP) quality standards and European Medicines Agency (EMA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

“This strategic acquisition is a key step for our ongoing expansion in the high-growth biopharmaceuticals market,” explained Auguste Willems of Wacker’s executive board.

“The new plant will enable us to satisfy robust market demand today and in the coming years – and to strengthen our position as a leading contract manufacturer of microbial-derived biopharmaceutical proteins,” he said in the press release.

Wacker is a contract manufacturer of biopharmaceutical proteins based on microbial systems. The company provides analytical services and process development for the manufacture of clinical test samples and pharmaceutical actives for the commercial market.

Under the agreement – terms of which were not disclosed – Wacker will retain all 110 SynCo employees.

Wacker is not providing any additional comment at this time.