Senator Sara Gelser Blouin, City of Albany Mayor Alex Johnson and Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker were on hand Friday, July 29, 2022, to celebrate the grand opening of a new biopharma development and clinical facility in Albany, OR. The new facility, operated and owned by Oregon Freeze Dry (OFD), allows OFD BIO|PHARMA to support the development of traditional pharmaceutical active ingredients, combination products and medical devices while also making it possible to assist new customers with drug-free, shelf-stable solutions for cell and gene therapeutics, microbial therapeutics and immunotherapy.

Designed to host cutting-edge lyophilization process development and clinical trials, the facility’s state-of-the-art environmental controls will allow OFD to apply their in-depth knowledge of freeze-drying to support the research and development of life-changing medications that can bypass a syringe and be administered orally. The $7.5 million investment is a capstone of more than 50 years of excellence in lyophilization (freeze-drying). It complements OFD’s four existing facilities across the U.S. and is expected to add at least six new positions to a staff of more than 450.

“Our new facility supports the vision of a world where vaccines and medications can bypass a syringe and be administered orally, increasing access to life-changing medicine around the world,” said Joe Folds, president and CEO, OFD. “We’re ready and eager to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies and support advances in microbial therapeutics, immunotherapy and cell and gene therapy.”

As the pharmaceutical industry moves away from small-molecule to heat-sensitive large-molecule solutions, demand is increasing for lyophilization (freeze-drying) to provide stabilization and preservation. OFD’s breadth of experience, and ISO 5 clean room with BSL 2 certification, helps fill a void for both bulk and oral material development under aseptic conditions.

OFD BIO|PHARMA has provided biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with custom lyophilization solutions for more than 20 years. Lyophilization improves stability and shelf life for a range of therapeutics that treat or prevent disease and infection, regulate metabolic and autoimmune disorders and enhance the immune system’s ability to fight ailments from cardiovascular disease to allergies.