Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany) is investing in a new GMP drug product manufacturing facility for lipid-based drug delivery in Vancouver, Canada. The facility will increase Evonik’s development and manufacturing capacity, helping pharmaceutical and biotech customers bring lipid-based pharmaceutical products including vaccines, therapeutics, and other advanced medicines from development through commercial scale. Evonik’s total investment of over CAD 150 million (€93 million) in Vancouver is supported by the Canadian federal government’s Strategic Response Fund with up to CAD 68 million (€42 million). Drug product production is planned to begin at the end of 2029.
“Lipid-based drug delivery technologies are already enabling the next generation of medicines. With the support of the Canadian federal government, this investment builds on our long-standing expertise in the field, enabling the development and commercialization of more life-changing therapies,” said Lauren Kjeldsen, member of Evonik’s Executive Board and COO for the Custom Solutions segment.
The project will expand Evonik’s existing manufacturing capabilities through the establishment of a modern GMP facility with more than three times the manufacturing capacity of the current facility for advanced pharmaceutical products. The new facility will also significantly advance quality control (QC) and microbiological testing capabilities, improving efficiency and supporting the timely release of products for clinical use.
“The Vancouver region is a vibrant hub for life sciences innovation, and Evonik’s Health Care business is proud to be growing within and with this ecosystem. This investment strengthens both our regional presence and our global network for lipid-based drug delivery,” said Guido Skudlarek, head of Evonik’s Health Care business line.
British Columbia is home to Canada’s fastest-growing life sciences sector, where more than 2,000 companies employ close to 20,000 people, most of them in Greater Vancouver. The region’s biotech strength is also rooted in the University of British Columbia, which has been a driving force for decades and has given rise to many startups and spin-offs.
“Evonik’s expansion in Vancouver underscores Canada’s leadership in life sciences and innovation. This investment will drive advances in lipid-based drug delivery, create highly skilled jobs, and bolster British Columbia’s growing biotech ecosystem. The Government of Canada is proud to support Evonik’s goals, which will help position Canada at the forefront of next-generation vaccines and medicines,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
Evonik Vancouver Laboratories, formerly Transferra Nanosciences and Northern Lipids, has been a pioneer in lipid-based drug delivery since the 1990s and today provides CDMO services for advanced LNP and liposomal delivery systems, from formulation research through GMP clinical trial manufacturing and commercial process scale-up. By investing in one of North America’s most dynamic life science clusters, Evonik is expanding in this ecosystem, positioning itself as a partner to pharma and biotech innovators to develop and support patient access to these technologies.
Lipids are essential for encapsulating and delivering nucleic acid-based drugs, including mRNA, as well as other payloads. LNPs have become a leading delivery system, underscored by their role in COVID-19 vaccines, and demand continues to grow as nucleic acid therapeutics expand within the parenteral drugs market. The LNP market alone is estimated to reach US$2.7 billion by 2034.
Evonik supports pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies worldwide through an integrated network for lipid and LNP formulation development and manufacturing, with capabilities spanning the entire value chain. Evonik Vancouver Laboratories develops LNP formulations and supports clinical manufacturing, with processes for advanced clinical trials and commercial production transferred to Birmingham, Alabama. The network is complemented by lipid and adjuvant supply from Dossenheim and Hanau in Germany, and R&D capabilities at the Cambridge Innovation Satellite in Greater Boston. A new global-scale lipid production facility is also being built at Evonik’s Tippecanoe Labs site in Lafayette, Indiana. Together, these sites combine expertise in lipid chemistry, LNP formulation, equipment and process engineering, sterile manufacturing and regulatory know-how to help customers move from early-stage development through GMP manufacturing and commercial supply.