WuXi Biologics Begins Construction of Microbial Manufacturing Site for Commercial Production
Monday, June 09, 2025
WuXi Biologics has commenced construction of a new microbial manufacturing site in Chengdu’s Wenjiang district, a well-established centre for pharmaceutical development.
The site will support large-scale commercial production and further strengthen the company’s end-to-end microbial capabilities.
Covering 95,000 square metres, the facility will house both drug substance (DS) and drug product (DP) operations. It is designed to handle a wide range of biologic modalities, including peptides, antibody fragments, plasmid DNA, enzymes, cytokines, and virus-like particles (VLPs). Upon completion, the site is expected to achieve Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) release by the end of 2026.
The site will initially feature a 15,000-litre fermenter, enabling an annual output of 80 to 110 DS batches. Over time, this capacity could be expanded to 60,000 litres. For DP manufacturing, the site will include China’s first dual-chamber lyophilisation line, as well as a vial filling line, supporting an annual output of over 10 million vials.
WuXi Biologics will incorporate its microbial expression platform, EffiX™, which supports the development of non-antibody biologics with high titers, quality, and scalability. The facilities will also be equipped with advanced automation systems to support regulatory compliance, quality standards, and operational efficiency. Sustainability has been considered from the outset, with efforts to reduce the site’s environmental impact through improved process development and carbon tracking systems.
The new site will manufacture lonapegsomatropin, a long-acting growth hormone for treating paediatric growth hormone deficiency, for VISEN Pharmaceuticals. WuXi Biologics has also formed a strategic partnership with Virogen Biotechnology to support its commercial manufacturing activities.
This expansion marks a key step in WuXi Biologics’ ongoing efforts to scale up microbial production in response to global demand for advanced biologic therapies.
Source: wuxibiologics.com
