News Capsule - National

Kemwell and BI to set up biopharmaceutical facility in Bangalore

Our News Bureau - Mumbai

Kemwell, a formulations and contract manufacturing and development services company and in a strategic collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), Germany is investing around Rs 200-250 crore to set up an advanced biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Bangalore.

Kemwell's new 15,000 sq.mt greenfield state-of-the-art facility will be designed for process development, fermentation, purification and formulation of biologics for early-phase preclinical and clinical studies. The facility will consist of a cGMP drug substance manufacturing facility and a sterile fill and finish facility for drug product with a floor for process development laboratories to support production of protein therapeutics from mammalian-cell culture or microbial fermentation.

"Most importantly, Kemwell and BI will provide the customer with state-of-the-art technology from Europe along with the benefit of low cost manufacturing from India,” said Anurag Bagaria, Vice-President, Kemwell.

With this collaboration, Kemwell will complement their early clinical supply services ranging from full-service process development, manufacture, formulation and fill & finish at the cGMP manufacturing facility in Bangalore, India as a one-stop-shop through access to BI's cell line development with the BI HEX technology platform, followed by a preferred access to the large-scale commercial production of Boehringer Ingelheim at its facilities in Europe.

The Kemwell Biologics factory will be located on the Kemwell site in Bangalore as it will share synergies with the other facilities. Kemwell has facilities dedicated for tablets, semi-solids and liquids manufacturing as well as pharmaceutical development services on the same site and can thus synergise its current competencies by using existing trained personnel in analytical and quality services at the new facility.

"Kemwell will continue its commitment to pure-play contract manufacturing and build on its extensive experience in contract manufacturing. We find high opportunities for supplying monoclonal antibodies and are committed to provide these services in a timely and cost-effective manner,” commented Bagaria.

"Through the partnership with Kemwell Biologics, BI will strengthen its presence for biologic services in Asia, providing technologies for economic manufacturing of innovative, high quality biopharmaceuticals," commented Dr Rolf G Werner, Corporate Senior Vice President - Corporate Division Biopharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH.

Kemwell will also provide in-house experts in toxicology and clinical development and partner with Indian CROs to help customers manage toxicology and clinical studies in India.