BRIEF—Bluebird buys facility to boost in-house production capacity

East Coast biotech firm bluebird bio has bought a new manufacturing facility in North Carolina, USA, to support clinical development of lentiviral vector for its gene and cell therapies.

Bluebird has a number of candidate gene and cell therapies for severe genetic diseases as well as T Cell-based immunotherapies for cancer.

The company plans to use the 125,000-square foot facility to support commercial production if and when its candidates are approved.

Chief manufacturing and technology officer Derek Adams said the site would “complement important external manufacturing partnerships,” noting the strategy of “simultaneously establishing multiple lentiviral vector manufacturing partnerships and pursuing in-house manufacturing.”

The company has also entered into multi-year agreements with three manufacturing partners in the United States and Europe.