Boehringer opens biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in China

Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim has officially opened its commercial production site for biopharmaceuticals in Zhang Jiang Hi-tech Park in Shanghai, China.

The facility carries a first-phase investment of more than €70m and has been established using mammalian cell culture technology.

With the addition of the new Shanghai facility, Boehringer Ingelheim BioXcellence, the contract manufacturing business of the company, is expected to fulfil increasing demands of the biopharmaceutical industry globally.

The company already has three operating facilities in Biberach, Germany; Vienna, Austria; and Fremont, US.

Boehringer Ingelheim board of managing directors chairman Hubertus von Baumbach said: "Our Shanghai facility plays an important role in our globally leading biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing business and embodies our continuous and long-term commitment to China.

"With this investment, we expect to have a significant impact on the development of China’s biopharmaceutical industry to ultimately supply innovative medicines to patients following high-quality standards."

The new facility will help the company in strengthening its presence in the field of contract development and manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins in China.

Since 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim China Biopharmaceuticals is operating Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) clinical material supply at 100 litres (L) and 500L scales.

The new Shanghai facility will operate for clinical and commercial supply on a 2,000L single-use bioreactor scale, which is also capable of further 2,000L single-use bioreactors.

Boehringer Ingelheim Biopharmaceuticals (China) general manager Dr Luo Jiali said: "As a global leader in biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing, Boehringer Ingelheim has an extraordinarily long history in the field of biotechnology, having been in the industry for over 35 years.

"With our strong know-how, global network, technology, and international quality standards we can support innovative Chinese and international companies to industrialise their research results."

"We offer tailor-made contract development and manufacturing services to the biopharmaceutical industry, providing the entire production technology chain from DNA to the finished product under one roof.

"With our strong know-how, global network, technology, and international quality standards we can support innovative Chinese and international companies to industrialise their research results."

With more than 35 years of experience in the field, Boehringer Ingelheim has produced more than 25 biopharmaceuticals for global markets through its brand Boehringer Ingelheim BioXcellence.

Last year, the company reported net sales of nearly €15.9bn.