The UK's £38m National Biologics Manufacturing Centre (NBMC) is scheduled to open its doors in September, giving companies access to state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and expertise to help develop the next generation of biologic products and processes.
Located in Darlington, County Durham, the centre will handle mammalian, microbial and next-generation biologic platforms, with the ability to scale up from millilitres to 200 litres and demonstrate innovative process technologies. There is an extensive analytical suite and high throughput development capabilities, so users can fully characterise their product and optimise their process.
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) is supporting the commercialisation of research by promoting collaboration with industry across the supply chain, from research through to manufacture and clinic. Using the NBMC, CPI will help companies to commercialise ideas and take them to market faster and with minimal risk.
The 5000m2 facility will have 12 laboratories – including an analytical development suite, an advanced processing suite and two GMP simulation suites – as well as an open plan lecture theatre and conferencing space for 120 delegates.
The centre is equipped with conventional upstream and downstream processing equipment, as well as state of the art analytical and process technologies. Many labs have been designed to be flexible so it is possible to modify each lab to meet the requirements of customers.
Contractors have included Interserve Construction (design and build); Ardmac (cleanroom facilities) and Bioquell (isolators and a fumigation system for the cleanrooms).
The video below shows the construction of the NBMC.