Evonik begins GMP production of PhytoChol at Lipid Innovation Center in Indiana
- Evonik produced the first GMP-quality PhytoChol® batch at its Lipid Innovation Center in Tippecanoe, Lafayette, Indiana.
- Full production capacity at the LINC site is scheduled to come on stream by mid-2027.
- The facility received U.S. government support from BARDA under award IDSEP230065 to bolster domestic lipid supply.
- LINC will supply lipids for LNP-based therapies across cancer immunotherapy, gene therapy and vaccine platforms.
First GMP production
Evonik has manufactured the first GMP-quality batch of PhytoChol®—a plant-derived cholesterol used as an LNP excipient—at its Lipid Innovation Center (LINC) at the Tippecanoe site in Lafayette, Indiana.
Facility role and timeline
LINC is a large-scale, flexible production center designed to support multiple lipid chemistries, manufacturing processes and products. Full capacity is scheduled to come on stream by mid-2027. The project received support from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under award number IDSEP230065 to reinforce U.S.-based supply of critical drug delivery technologies.
Applications and market context
The lipids produced at LINC enable encapsulation and delivery of nucleic acid-based drugs such as mRNA and gene therapies and support vaccine platforms. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a leading delivery system, with the LNP market estimated to reach US$2.7 billion by 2034.
Integrated network and capability
LINC complements Evonik’s global network combining LNP formulation and clinical manufacturing in Vancouver, late-stage and commercial processes in Birmingham, and lipid and adjuvant supply from Dossenheim, Hanau and Tippecanoe, with additional R&D at the Cambridge Innovation Satellite.
Source: Evonik