Alexion purchases former Dow manufacturing site to manufacture Soliris

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, July 13 - Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. said Thursday that it has purchased the former Dow manufacturing facility in Smithfield, R.I.

The biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility will be used primarily to produce Soliris (eculizumab), the company's lead product candidate for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, an acquired genetic blood disorder, according to a company news release.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"Securing a manufacturing facility is an important element of our commercial planning for the post-launch growth of Soliris and will enable us to meet world-wide demand for the product," David Keiser, president and chief operating officer of Alexion, said in the release.

The 55,000-square-foot facility is anticipated to begin operations in 2008, officials said.

Alexion said it will be retrofitting the facility to include two 10,000 liter bioreactors and their associated purification suites along with a pilot plant. The facility will be designed to meet both the Food and Drug Administration's and European Medical Agency's good manufacturing practices.

Alexion said it has a manufacturing agreement with Lonza Biologics and expects to continue to source supply from Lonza after the new facility is in operation.

Alexion is a Cheshire, Conn., biotechnology company.

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