Genzyme to invest $80 million to expand capacity for Fabrazyme

French drug major Sanofi’s (Euronext: SAN) US biotech subsidiary Genzyme says that it is investing $80 million to build a new downstream processing facility for Fabry disease drug Fabrazyme (agalsidase beta) in the USA.

The new plant, which will be located adjacent to the new Fabrazyme cell culture manufacturing site in Framingham, Massachusetts, will significantly expand purification capacity to support anticipated growth in global demand over the coming years.

“As we continue to meet the global demands for Fabrazyme and build inventory, our focus also remains on the future needs of the global Fabry community,” said Genzyme president and chief executive, David Meeker, adding:“Following last year’s regulatory approvals of our manufacturing facility in Framingham and a new vial filling line at our plant in Waterford, Ireland, we continue to execute on our global manufacturing strategy, enhancing our capabilities across the entire manufacturing process for Fabrazyme.”