Astellas starts construction of new aseptic drug products plant

Shares of Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503) gained more than 2% to 1,720 yen by close today, after the company announced that construction of new manufacturing lines for aseptic drug products utilizing new modalities and technologies has commenced at Yaizu Technology Center of Astellas Pharma Tech, a production subsidiary of Astellas.

Work on the commercial production line for antibody drugs has started today, and the construction of the manufacturing line for clinical trial materials is scheduled to begin in July 2021. The total cost of construction is around 18 billion yen ($173.4 million).

Astellas will expand manufacturing capabilities for aseptic drug products, to reinforce stable production for global supply, and to accelerate the development and commercialization of new drugs by the new lines. The Yaizu Technology Center currently mainly manufactures solid preparations of both commercial drug products and clinical trial materials. The new aseptic drug product manufacturing lines will be newly installed for commercial antibody drugs and clinical trial materials in the existing buildings.