Kyowa Kirin Inc.’s board of directors has approved plans to invest up to $530 million to build a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina.
 
The 171,700-square-foot, two-reactor facility will accelerate the company’s development and production of biologic therapies for patients with rare and serious diseases.


  
“The extraordinary complexity of the medicines we manufacture requires specialized skills and resources that are in plentiful supply in Sanford and the Research Triangle region,” said Paul Testa, Executive Vice President, Regional Head North America/EMEA Manufacturing, Kyowa Kirin North America. “We’re excited to collaborate with area colleges, universities, businesses, and civic leaders to ensure that our plans align with Sanford’s vision for growth, anchored in a rejuvenated manufacturing economy that offers diverse job opportunities and returns value to the community.”
  
The new facility will manufacture innovative biologic therapies, including next-generation antibodies, for the company’s planned clinical trials and future commercial use while creating more resilient and efficient supply lines that more readily withstand shifting global forces. The 75-acre campus at Helix Innovation Park at The Brickyard will allow for future expansion, should the company’s portfolio necessitate greater capacity as its pipeline programs advance.
 
Construction of the facility is expected to begin in the second half of 2024 and become fully operational in 2027. Kyowa Kirin’s investment of up to $530 million will be supported by performance-based state and local incentives to Kyowa Kirin of $10 million over 12 years, which are estimated to grow the state’s economy by $1.05 billion over the course of grant, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The plant will create more than 100 new local jobs at an average salary of $91,496.
 
“Our North American presence continues to grow through strategic investments that are adding new capabilities, new therapeutic expertise, and new talent to our global organization, all in service of meeting patients’ needs,” said Steve Schaefer, Kyowa Kirin North American President.
 
By building its new site in the midst of North Carolina’s robust life sciences hub, Kyowa Kirin will benefit from a thriving network of biomanufacturing resources as well as a rich pool of talent within the greater Research Triangle Park region, which is home to renowned universities and community colleges that provide specialized curricula and training. The new facility will leverage the expertise of these institutions and build upon the manufacturing methods and technologies recently added in Takasaki to further enhance manufacturing productivity and efficiency.