Bluebird bio, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based clinical-stage gene therapy company, has acquired a 125,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina.

Once construction and validation is complete, the site will produce lentiviral vector for the company’s gene and cell therapies, including: Lenti-D for treating cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy; LentiGlobin for treating transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia and severe sickle-cell disease; and bb2121 and bb21217 for treating multiple myeloma.

The initial North Carolina site build-out will allow for production of clinical and commercial supply of lentiviral vector, which is a component of the company’s gene and cell therapies. The facility is large enough to accommodate potential future expansion, including the possibility of commercial drug product production.

The company is making an investment in its manufacturing infrastructure as it advances multiple products into late-stage development and potential commercial launch.

In addition to the internal manufacturing capacity planned at the site, bluebird bio also entered into multi-year agreements with three manufacturing partners in the US and Europe: Brammer Bio, a Lexington, Massachusetts-headquartered cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization; Novasep, a Lyon, France-headquartered contract manufacturing organization and life-science service provider; and MilliporeSigma.

Each of these partners is collaborating with bluebird bio on production of lentiviral vector across all programs. Bluebird bio also is partnered with Lonza and apceth Biopharma, a Munich, Germany-based biopharmaceutical company, to produce drug product for Lenti-D and LentiGlobin.

Source: Bluebird Bio