Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Close

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Amgen Plans West Greenwich, Rhode Island, Biomanufacturing Complex

04/11/2018
Amgen plans to build a new state-of-the-art next-generation biomanufacturing plant at its campus in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. The new plant will employ Amgen's proven next-generation biomanufacturing capabilities and manufacture products for the U.S. and global markets.

The company uses tools like advanced human genetics to unravel complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses, by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics.

The biomanufacturing plant will be built on the current Amgen Rhode Island 75-acre campus and is expected to create approximately 150 additional highly-skilled manufacturing positions and approximately 200 construction and validation jobs.

A next-generation biomanufacturing plant incorporates multiple innovative technologies into a single facility, and therefore is built in half the construction time with approximately one half of the operating cost of a traditional plant, company officials said. Next-generation biomanufacturing plants require a smaller manufacturing footprint and offer greater environmental benefits, including reduced consumption of water and energy and lower levels of carbon emissions.

"Amgen has three decades of experience in biologics manufacturing, and we are proud of our track record of providing a reliable supply of high-quality medicines for patients around the world," said Esteban Santos, executive vice president of Operations at Amgen. "We are pleased to build the first commercial scale, next-generation biomanufacturing plant in the U.S., leveraging Amgen's capabilities and incorporating the latest technologies."

Amgen said comprehensive evaluation of global locations was conducted to select the location. Following recent U.S. federal tax reform, which provides company incentives to invest in innovation and advanced technologies, Amgen made the decision to locate the new plant in the U.S. Rhode Island was selected based on the historical success of the Amgen West Greenwich manufacturing facility, its capabilities and talented workforce, and quality of living for staff and potential to grow.

"I am thrilled that Amgen is planning to expand and bring new, highly skilled jobs to Rhode Island and further enhance the State's life sciences community and manufacturing expertise," said Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo. "We welcome Amgen's future health care advancements for patients around the world that will come from this new biomanufacturing plant."

"We are excited that Amgen Rhode Island was chosen as the location to build the new biomanufacturing plant," said Tia Bush, Vice President of Operations at Amgen Rhode Island. "It is a testament to our skilled, dedicated workforce and Amgen's continued presence in Rhode Island, which will enable ongoing collaborations with local academic institutions and the broader Rhode Island community."

The existing Amgen Rhode Island plant was licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 2005 and houses one of the world's largest mammalian protein manufacturing facilities. The facility manufactures commercial and clinical bulk drug substance. Amgen has invested more than $1.5 billion in its Rhode Island site, adding more than 500,000 square feet of manufacturing, utility, administrative and laboratory space to the campus. There are 625 full-time staff members employed at the Amgen Rhode Island campus.

Exclusive Research