For biopharma companies seeking increased development and manufacturing capacity for vaccines and therapies, including new COVID-19-related programs, Thermo Fisher Scientific provided highlights of its new capabilities during the BIO International Convention, June 8-12, now a virtual event at bio.org/events/bio-digital.

“We can now provide an uninterrupted path from development to commercialization for biopharma companies, small to large, in geographies worldwide and across vaccines, antivirals and other therapies,” said Mike Shafer, senior vice president and president, pharma services, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Through our recent strategic initiatives, we are delivering to our customers a powerful combination of expertise, flexibility and scale that allows us to be the partner they start with and stay with.”

Earlier this year, the company announced plans to invest in new capabilities and capacity for biologics, cell and gene therapies and drug product development and commercialization. For example, to support demand for gene therapies, Thermo Fisher will be doubling its viral vector manufacturing capacity with a new manufacturing site in Plainville, Mass. Construction of the 290,000-square-foot facility will be complete in 2022 and complements the company’s recent expansions in Lexington and Cambridge, Mass., and Alachua, Fla. This week, STAT News will feature, “The STAT Guide to viral vectors, the linchpin of gene therapy,” which covers the issues and considerations in engineering and manufacturing viral vectors.

In addition, through a new strategic partnership with CSL, Thermo Fisher will support CSL’s product portfolio through its pharma services network, including drug product development, biologics manufacturing, sterile fill-finish, packaging and clinical trials logistics. Thermo Fisher will also operate CSL’s state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility in Lengnau, Switzerland, once construction is completed in 2021.

These strategic investments expand Thermo Fisher’s pharma services capabilities for its biotech customers working on antiviral therapies, and for pharmaceutical manufacturers scaling up for novel coronavirus vaccines. Thermo Fisher’s pharma services business is also supporting approximately 100 COVID-19 customer projects across its global pharma services network – from producing promising therapeutics and treatments to ramping up manufacturing, distribution, packaging and logistics for clinical trials of new vaccine candidates.

To learn more, the company will host two webinars at BIO 2020 this week. The first, “Transforming Medicine with Expertise, Flexibility and Scale,” will take place June 12 at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Register for the webinar here. In addition, an on-demand BPI Theater presentation, “Leveraging Infrastructure Investments and Innovation to Accelerate Biologics Development,” will run throughout the week and can be accessed here.

For more information, visit thermofisher.com.