The $200-million biopharma plant will be completed in 2020.
Amgen is looking to maintain its competitive advantage in biopharmaceutical manufacturing with the construction of a next-generation facility that includes numerous new manufacturing technologies and equipment. The groundbreaking for the new $200 million plant, which is located at its campus in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, was held earlier this month.
"Biologics manufacturing is a complex science and has long been a competitive advantage for Amgen," Robert Bradway, Amgen’s chair and chief executive, said in a statement. "We are working to extend that advantage even further with a next-generation biomanufacturing plant in Rhode Island that will produce medicines to serve patients around the world suffering from serious illnesses."
Amgen expects the 120,000-square-foot facility to be completed by 2020; it will also add approximately 150 new jobs, there are currently 625 people employed full-time. The facility’s new single-use technologies and equipment will be smaller and portable, allowing the company to respond faster to changing demands in the market. The time and cost to construct the facility will also be much less than that of a traditional biopharma plant, as will the physical footprint and environmental impact.
