CSL Behring, a blood products specialist, said it will spend $450 million over the next few years to expand its production facilities in the U.S. and Australia.
Of that total, $240 million will be sunk into its Kankakee, IL, facility that produces plasma intermediates, and $210 million will go into its Broadmeadows plant in Melbourne, Australia, the company said in a press release. What is produced in the Illinois facility goes into making albumin and immunoglobins. This expansion will add about 190 jobs when the facility is operational. The latest news comes after the FDA approved the start of operations at Kankakee from a previous expansion.
Proteins made from plasma are used in products, including immunoglobulin, for treating conditions like primary immune deficiency, and factor VIII, for the treatment of hemophilia.
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| Paul Perreault |
"Our latest production expansion means the critical base material for our leading therapies will continue to be available--enabling us to deliver on our promise to patients around the world," Paul Perreault, chief executive, said in a statement.
The sites slated for expansions are two of four where the company manufactures plasma and plasma intermediates. The others are located in Bern, Switzerland and Marburg, Germany. Earlier this year the company announced it would construct a recombinant production site in Lengnau, Switzerland where it will produce proteins to treat immune deficiency diseases.
Grifols, the Spain-based specialist in blood plasma products, opened a new plasma fractionation plant in June in the U.S. and announced it has plans for more upgrades to its manufacturing network.
- here's the release (PDF)