LFB BIOMANUFACTURING SITE IN ALÈS WILL DOUBLE ITS BIOMEDICINAL PRODUCTION CAPACITY

Alès (Gard), 14 June 2024 – Today, under the sponsorship of Catherine Vautrin, French Minister of Labour, Health and of Solidarity and Lise Alter, Managing Director of the French Health Innovation Agency, LFB BIOMANUFACTURING laid the groundwork for a new capacity expansion of its industrial site in Alès. This project of LFB BIOMANUFACTURING, a subsidiary of LFB specialising in the production of therapeutic proteins, including monoclonal antibodies, by cell culture, is co-financed by the French government via the “France 2030” plan and will ultimately allow the site to double its production capacity as well as create around fifty jobs. This expansion comes in a context marked by the growing demand for biomedicinal products, both in France and worldwide.

A strategic project co-financed by the “France 2030” plan

Launched for the benefit of patients and to further national and European health sovereignty, for a total cost of more than 20 million euros, this project is fully in line with the objectives of “France 2030” and the Biotherapies / Bioproduction acceleration strategy of France’s Health Innovation 2030 plan. And it was on these premises that the planned expansion obtained financial support from the French government of up to 6.7 million euros.

The expansion of the site, with the creation of around fifty jobs by 2026, is even more crucial at a time when the health industry sector is undergoing a real revolution: the arrival of medicinal products whose active substances are produced from live organisms. Today, 59% of medicinal products in development worldwide are biotherapies[1].

This investment will allow the Alès site to provide its customers with doubled production capacities of 2x 2,000 litres. This expansion will also include development and analytical service laboratories and raw material warehouse.

As an FDA[2] approved CDMO[3] , the Alès site shares its know-how and equipment with customers, including support for the development of cell lines and processes on an industrial scale, the manufacture of clinical and commercial batches as well as the associated analytical testing.

Because CDMO capacity in France is currently insufficient, national players are too often forced to produce in other countries. This expansion of LFB BIOMANUFACTURING’s site in Alès is therefore strategic: it will help meet the growing needs of French biotech companies looking to produce therapeutic proteins in France.

In the words of Catherine Vautrin, French Minister of Labour, Health and Solidarity: “LFB’s investment in its Alès industrial site marks an important step towards strengthening France’s health and industrial sovereignty. It will also lead to the creation of fifty jobs in the region and constitutes a concrete response to the growing bioproduction needs of French biotech companies. I congratulate them for their commitment and reiterate the full support of the French government as a full partner thanks to the financial support provided as part of the “France 2030” program.”

For Lise Alter, Managing Director of the French Health Innovation Agency: “One of the objectives of “France 2030” is to support projects that will allow France to produce the treatments of tomorrow, and the expansion of LFB’s Alès site is an important contribution in that direction. Biomedicinal products and in particular the family of therapeutic proteins represent hope for many patients. Being able to produce the treatments they need, on our territory, is essential. This project will also help promote French bioproduction excellence within Europe and around the world.”

For Jacques Brom, CEO of LFB: “The expansion of our Alès site with the sponsorship of Ms Catherine Vautrin, French Minister of Labour, Health and Solidarity, is a significant step towards strengthening the French bioproduction sector. At a time when patient needs for biomedicinal products continue to increase, this investment will allow us to double our bioproduction capacities in Alès, while also contributing to local employment and offering the excellence of our industrial know-how.”

[1] https://www.info.gouv.fr/upload/media/content/0001/08/8d48956285047d0a1b5305733c17f6bab0501578.pdf 

[2] Food and Drug Administration

[3] Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization