The village of Pleasant Prairie in Wisconsin (US) has signed off on Nexus Pharmaceuticals’ sterile injectable manufacturing facility. The facility will support the production and supply of injectable drugs in an array of therapeutic areas including anaesthesia, oncology, cardiovascular and neurology.
Mariam Darsot is the CEO of Nexus, and her company specialises in developing manufacturing processes for speciality and generic injectable drugs.
“This investment is needed to drive the continued growth for the US pharmaceutical manufacturing industry,” she said.
The multi-phase, multi-year project is expected to be completed in ten years, with an estimated investment of US$250 million. Construction is planned to commence in August 2019 and completion is predicted in 2021.
After the facility and manufacturing processes are approved by the FDA, commercial production is expected to commence in 2022.
“This is one of the most significant pharmaceutical investments in Wisconsin in years,” said Governor Tony Evers.
The facility will support the Wisconsin economy by creating more than 77 new jobs in fields of high-tech manufacturing and science by 2022.
The Nexus Pharmaceuticals team is aiming to mitigate drug shortages that have plagued the market for years of critical-need, life-saving sterile injectable medications. “We believe in America’s future in manufacturing and, to support our mission, we will need engineers, scientists, and technicians joining together to lead and collaborate,” said John Cook, VP of Manufacturing.
The build
The initial phase 1 investment of $85m will support a new, three-story manufacturing facility with cutting-edge technology including an advanced isolator system for maximum product protection and sterility; reducing the risk of contamination. The facility will also include multiple lyophilisation (freeze-drying) machines to support production of Nexus’ current portfolio and robust pipeline of generic and speciality injectable drugs.
The new 100,000 sqft facility is being designed by Integrated Project Services (IPS) with construction management services being provided by Turner Construction, both of whom have strong backgrounds in design and construction of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“As a pharmaceutical company with a significant focus on sterile injectable medicines, Nexus Pharmaceuticals understands the growing patient demand for high quality and accessible generic injections,” said Shahid Ahmed, CSO. “With the addition of our new manufacturing facility, we are committed to providing a more stable and reliable supply of sterile injectables–a category that is particularly susceptible to drug shortages.”
