PackGene Biotech, an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector contract research organisation (CRO) and contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), has announced the expansion of its US services with a new cGMP biomanufacturing and processing facility in Houston.
The company broke ground on the full-service operations centre this week to support a growing base of US customers advancing gene therapy programmes.
We are excited to bring economical, reliable, and scalable AAV products, as well as our viral vector development and GMP production capabilities, to our next full-service operations centre in Houston
- PackGene Chief Technology Officer, LiYing Yang
The 25,000 sqft facility will be located just outside Houston's inner loop and will include process and analytical laboratories, cGMP manufacturing cleanrooms and support areas, quality control laboratories, a warehouse, and office space.
This represents an expansion of the existing operations, which include some process and analytical development, and laboratory space, employing approximately 20 people. PackGene plans to nearly triple its Houston-area workforce to about 60 by the end of 2023 when the new facility is expected to be complete.
BE&K Building Group is providing design-build services on the project, and the architect of record is Perkins + Will.
AAV experts
PackGene is an Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) vector CRO and CDMO company, providing economical, reliable, and scalable plasmid DNA and AAV viral vector production for early-stage drug discovery, preclinical development, and clinical trials for Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT).
"We are excited to bring economical, reliable, and scalable AAV products, as well as our viral vector development and GMP production capabilities, to our next full-service operations centre in Houston," said PackGene Chief Technology Officer, LiYing Yang. "These capabilities will enable us to serve our US customers better and, importantly, to help bring life-saving therapies to patients faster, more reliably, and more cost-effectively. With this, we are making great strides in advancing our mission of 'making gene therapy affordable'."