To support the its BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences Group, Pfizer opened a state-of-the-art clinical manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina. The project is expected to create more than 50 new jobs in the coming years.

According to company officials, the facility will be responsible for the manufacturing and analytical release of clinical supplies for Pfizer’s gene therapy and biologics portfolio. Approximately 40 employees will relocate from the company’s Chapel Hill site.

The Durham facility is part of an $800 million investment over the past six years to build three scalable, state-of-the-art gene therapy manufacturing facilities to support Pfizer’s continued investment in gene therapy research, development, and manufacturing.

“Gene therapy represents the next wave of innovation for patients living with rare diseases, for whom there are limited treatment options currently available,” said Paul Mensah, Vice President, BioTherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences at Pfizer. “Today represents the next step in strengthening Pfizer’s in-house gene therapy capabilities and underscores the unique ability, expertise, and resources we have to guide gene therapy through the entire development and manufacturing process and deliver this potentially life-changing technology to patients.”

Pfizer currently employs more than 3,600 people across its North Carolina sites, according to company officials. The new Durham location is an important part of Pfizer’s worldwide R&D network which includes locations in La Jolla, California; Boulder, Colorado; St Louis, Missouri; Pearl River, New York; Groton, Connecticut; and Cambridge and Andover, Massachusetts.