FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, a world leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biologics, vaccines, and advanced therapies, celebrated the grand opening of its expanded site in Teesside, U.K., today The significantly expanded presence, funded through a total investment of approximately £400 million from FUJIFILM Corporation, Japan, includes the opening of the largest single-use biopharmaceutical CDMO facility in the U.K., located at the existing FUJIFILM Biotechnologies site.
The UK expansion represents the newest addition to FUJIFILM Biotechnologies’ global manufacturing network and introduces 2,000 L and 5,000 L single-use bioreactors with a total capacity up to 19,000 L to provide small- and mid-scale antibody manufacturing, with the flexibility to expand to support customer programs as needed. The 110,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility will be operational in the first half of 2026.
Single-use device facility at Teesside (Source: Fujifilm)
In parallel, the opening of the Bioprocess Innovation Centre UK (BIC UK), delivers a state-of-the-art laboratory for both high-throughput, and continuous process development capabilities, and will operate as a global centre of excellence for biomanufacturing innovation and process development. The over 102,200 sq. ft. facility doubles the campus’ existing lab footprint and complements the sites’ expanded Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing capabilities.
Together, these investments enhance the supply chain agility of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies’ global manufacturing network and expand its capacity to develop and produce complex medicines for conditions including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and rare disorders for world-leading biopharmaceutical companies. Through the Company’s pioneering kojoXTM modular approach to biomanufacturing, a strategic global initiative to harmonise technology, equipment, 1 Single-use technology in manufacturing which uses disposable, pre-sterilized polymer-based equipment 2 Based on BDO bioTRAK(R) database as of Oct. 2024 which includes current and planned capacity expansions through 2027. FUJIFILM Biotechnologies Unveils Biomanufacturing and Process Development Expansion in the United Kingdom systems and processes, the expanded UK operations will closely align with Fujifilm’s biomanufacturing facility in Toyama, Japan, enabling rapid and seamless technology transfer capabilities.
“Over the past decade, Fujifilm has invested more than £5 billion globally to grow our CDMO business – demonstrating our steadfast commitment to increasing our production capacity and capabilities to meet the growing demand for innovative medicines and vaccines for patients around the globe,” said Toshihisa Iida, director, corporate vice president, general manager of Life Sciences Strategy Headquarters and Bio CDMO Division, FUJIFILM Corporation, and chairman, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies. “The opening of our UK expansion, will enable us to support our partners’ products from the process development stage to early clinical manufacturing – ranging from low-volume therapies for ultra-rare diseases to commercial biologics all from one site.”
The celebration was attended by Fujifilm’s global leadership and national and local public officials, including: His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, Health Innovation Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, Chris McDonald, MP for Stockton North, and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen. Attendees also included representatives from the Embassy of Japan, Confederation of British Industry, the BioIndustry Association, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the UK.
“This site provides pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners with enhanced scalability, speed to market, and cross-site technology transfer, helping to ensure reliable medicine supply for patients in the UK and globally,” said Lars Petersen, president and chief executive officer, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies. “This represents the first small and mid-scale manufacturing site in our global kojoX ecosystem, which provides our partners with supply chain flexibility and agility. In leveraging kojoX across our sites, we are creating a framework where our partners can easily scale up and out from process development through clinical and commercial.”
“Thank you to our 960+ employees and community partners for their dedication in strengthening the UK life sciences community and cementing the North East as one of Britain’s – and Europe’s – leading biomanufacturing hubs. Through the FUJIFILM Biotechnologies’ academic partnerships with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Manchester, and the University of York, we are building talent in STEM and advanced manufacturing, supporting the life sciences ecosystem, and nurturing the next generation of Life Science specialists to make a difference,” said Jonathan Haigh, senior vice president, head of UK Site, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies.
With a 25-year history of clinical and commercial CDMO experience, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies’ UK site delivers a broad range of capabilities ranging from process development through current GMP manufacturing. In addition, the new single-use manufacturing facility will feature the Company’s revolutionary SymphonX™ downstream processing skid, offering an all-in-one equipment design to run all downstream unit operations across multiple scales — providing flexibility of scaling in fed-batch and continuous processes.
FUJIFILM Biotechnologies’ U.K. site has more than 960 employees working across its facilities and is part of a global workforce of 5,000 people across the global FUJIFILM Biotechnologies network. Overall, FUJIFILM Corporation’s diversified presence in the UK employs 1,700 people nationwide, and operates across the fields of photography, print and ink, life sciences and diagnostic imaging – as a key partner and provider to the National Health Service (NHS).