DEERFIELD, Ill.– Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), a global leader in sterile medication production and delivery, today announced an approximately $100 million expansion of its sterile fill/finish manufacturing facility located in Halle/Westfalen, Germany. This facility is operated by BioPharma Solutions (BPS), a business unit of Baxter that specializes in partnering with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies on the development and contract manufacturing of drug product for parenteral (injectable) pharmaceuticals. Construction on the new manufacturing building is expected to begin in 2022 and be completed in 2024.
This strategic investment will expand the BPS manufacturing footprint and add state-of-the-art equipment designed to help products achieve stability and improved shelf life through lyophilization (freeze drying). Construction will also add an aseptic syringe filling line, enabling BPS to meet the growing demand for this delivery platform in both Europe and the United States. Pre-filled syringes can enhance efficiency and ease-of-use for clinicians and have potential to minimize microbial contamination and reduce medication dosing errors during medication preparation, which are key considerations for patient safety.
“Baxter’s manufacturing site in Halle/Westfalen is one of the most advanced facilities in our global network and has seen significant growth over the last several years,” said Marie Keeley, general manager, Baxter BioPharma Solutions. “By making this investment, we are building on recent expansions to help ensure this facility can serve our partners at the highest level now and well into the future.”
Baxter’s Halle/Westfalen, Germany site has more than 60 years of experience and is recognized as a world-class manufacturer of cytotoxic and highly potent drugs, offering dedicated clinical development through commercial production with integrated technologies and services, including barrier technology that helps maintain a high level of containment when manufacturing sensitive and sophisticated drugs. The site also has broad sterile manufacturing capabilities and areas of focus, complies with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) regulations, features dedicated production areas and is designed to deliver products with optimum efficiency and speed to market. Baxter’s Halle/Westfalen facility was previously expanded in 2015, which added capacity and new technologies to stay on the leading edge of manufacturing parenteral oncology therapies. In addition, Baxter’s Halle/Westfalen facility is engaged in multiple collaborations to provide sterile manufacturing services for COVID-19 vaccines.
