Fujifilm Selects North Carolina for $2B Bio CDMO Facility

Fujifilm Corporation said it has selected Holly Springs, NC as the location for its new large-scale cell culture production site in the U.S. The previously announced investment of more $2 billion to establish the largest end-to-end cell culture biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) facility in North America will create 725 highly-skilled jobs in the area by the end of 2028. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation, with development and manufacturing facilities across the U.S., UK, and Denmark, will operate the new facility.

The CDMO said Holly Springs was selected for its strong pool of technical talent, local resources and partners with the right competencies, clean energy resources, and sustainability for future growth. Fujifilm Diosynth operates an existing facility in Morrisville, NC.

The new facility will offer large-scale cell culture manufacturing of bulk drug substance production with 8 x 20,000L bioreactors with the potential to expand and add a further 24 x 20,000L bioreactors based on market demand. In addition, the facility will also provide commercial scale, automated fill-finish and assembly, packaging, and labelling services. The facility is expected to be operational by spring 2025.

The facility will be designed and built with sustainability as its core. The facility design targets 100% clean energy utilization, implementation of cutting-edge waste disposal and recycling, among other sustainability goals.

“Holly Springs, North Carolina is a suitable location for us, as it is one of the most active communities in the U.S. in addressing environmental and social issues,” said Kenji Sukeno, president, Fujifilm Corporation. “Fujifilm will contribute to realizing a sustainable society by collaborating with the Holly Springs community and stimulating the local economy, and further, by accelerating ‘resolving social issues through business activities’ in alignment with our Sustainable Value Plan 2030. And, the new site is strategically important to accelerate the growth of our Bio CDMO business.”  

Martin Meeson, chief executive officer, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, said, “We are passionate about the tremendous value that this new facility will bring to our partners in producing life-impacting therapies. To build what will be the largest end-to-end cell culture CDMO facility in North America requires commitment and partnership. We are delighted to have received the strong support from the town of Holly Springs and the state of North Carolina. This is building for the future, both in infrastructure and in talent, as part of the vibrant North Carolina biotech hub.”