£1m investment brings jobs to the Tees Valley

Sep 24 2007 The Journal

AVECIA Biologics has invested more than £1m in key refurbishment projects to expand its business and create around 20 jobs in the Tees Valley. The Billingham-based company will use approximately £1m to build upon demand for its pAVEway™ technology, developed to safely speed up the process from research to production of biopharmaceuticals.

By stripping out, re-fitting and re-equipping existing space, Avecia has developed a state-of-the-art biologics laboratory which will allow it to take on an extra 20% more research and development work.

A further £100,000 has been spent on a similar re-fit project, allowing Avecia to offer stability testing of clients’ products for the first time.

Avecia is currently recruiting up to 15 graduate and PhD-level people for the research and development expansion, while the stability testing will see six new people employed by the end of 2007.

Avecia unveiled pAVEway earlier this year. Avecia’s scientists have used their expertise in state-of-the-art microbial systems to design and build processes to optimise fermentation processes.

While tackling key issues which increase time to market and cost, pAVEway also increases flexibility and enables class-leading microbial production of a wide range of therapeutically-useful proteins, such as vaccines.

Dr Mark Carver, Avecia Biologics’ chief scientific officer said: “The investment in expanding our research and development capabilities is in direct response to an increase in the number of business opportunities arising and the interest in pAVEway.

“Combined with the investment in stability testing, this represents a major commitment to expanding our Tees Valley-based global operations.”

The investment in stability testing will add storage and testing of clients’ products, in accordance with the International Committee of Immunisation, to Avecia’s portfolio of services.

Dr Sean Doherty, stability group manager, said: “Virtually every manufacturing customer requests stability studies.

“Offering this in-house, rather than transferring them to another company, means Avecia can make a more complete offering.”