Switzerland-based Ferring Pharmaceuticals says its needs more capacity for manufacturing biologics and developing monoclonal antibodies so will build out new facilities over the next three years.
Ferring said it will invest 30 million Swiss francs ($32.3 million) to build what it is calling its Ferring Biotech Centre at its manufacturing site in its headquarters city of Saint-Prex, Switzerland.
The facility will be used to develop new biologics drugs in its core areas of reproductive medicine and women’s health, gastroenterology and urology, CEO Michel Pettigrew said in a statement. Earlier this year, Ferring struck a license agreement with Ligand Pharmaceuticals to use Ligand’s platform to discover new human monoclonal antibodies.
In addition to new drugs, the site will manufacture the API for the company’s newest fertility treatment Rekovelle.
RELATED: Apricus craters as FDA rejects erectile dysfunction cream again
Ferring Friday had an indirect setback, when the FDA issued a complete response letter for Apricus’ topical erectile dysfunction drug Vitaros for the second time, in part over manufacturing concerns. Ferring has licensed the rights to the drug in the U.S.
San Diego-based Apricus said the CRL was for problems with the chemistry, manufacturing and control concerns and potentially more seriously—the safety of the formulation. Vitaros is a 2.5% alprostadil cream formulated with DDAIP-HCl, an ingredient designed to increase absorption through the skin. The FDA previously turned down the product in 2008.