- AstraZeneca will invest $285 million in a new biologics manufacturing facility in Södertälje, Sweden.
- The facility will focus on filling and packaging protein therapeutics and be operational by 2019.
- The investment will create 150-250 new jobs, pending local authority approvals.
- This is the first phase of a potential three-part program to expand biologics manufacturing capabilities.
Investment and Facility Focus
AstraZeneca plans to invest approximately $285 million in a new high-tech facility for manufacturing biological medicines in Södertälje, Sweden. The new plant will focus on filling and packaging protein therapeutics. It is expected to supply medicines for clinical trial programs of AstraZeneca and MedImmune, the company’s global biologics research and development arm, by the end of 2018, and deliver finished products for commercial use by 2019.
Job Creation and Local Impact
The planned investment will create between 150 and 250 highly skilled new roles at AstraZeneca by 2019, subject to relevant approvals by local authorities. Södertälje is already home to AstraZeneca’s largest global tablets and capsules manufacturing facility and serves as a launch platform site for the company. The new plant will leverage the existing operational excellence within the Sweden Operations unit.
Strategic Importance
This investment is part of a strategic initiative to support the accelerating development of biotech medicines, which now constitute around half of AstraZeneca’s pipeline. The new facility will provide greater capacity and flexibility for handling clinical trials and future commercial production. The $285 million investment is the first phase of a potential three-part program to expand AstraZeneca’s biologics manufacturing capabilities, with further investment decisions expected in the coming years.
Location and Future Plans
Södertälje, where the new facility will be located, is also the site for AstraZeneca’s Nordic-Baltic marketing headquarters and several enabling functions. The new facility will support the progression of drug candidates across main therapy areas and align with investments in other biologics manufacturing centers, such as the expansion in Frederick, Maryland.
