Lonza Slates More Biologics

Custom pharmaceutical producer Lonza has outlined a series of aims for the coming year that will boost its biopharmaceutical business.

At the top of its list is a "significant" expansion of its biologics facility in Portsmouth, N.H. Lonza expanding "mid-scale" capacity and plans to break ground on 5,000-L reactors this April. The initiative complements the company's existing 20,000-L reactors at the site, the fourth of which is scheduled to open mid-year.

Also at the Portsmouth site, Lonza is conducting detailed investigation and basic design development for a vaccines plant. And in Visp, Switzerland, the company plans a third production line at its large-scale microbial plant and an accelerated timeline for start-up of an active pharmaceutical ingredients plant.

According to the company, delivery of the additional projects will require preinvestments and one-time costs of about $24 million this year.

In order to meet customer needs in all its business areas through 2008, Lonza will hire 500 new employees this year. Total investment for all its businesses will rise to more than $300 million.