Sharp bolsters fill/finish services with Berkshire buy

The acquisition of Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing (BSM) will enable Sharp to offer a small-to-medium scale injectable service for the biopharmaceutical space.

In August 2020, Sharp, a commercial pharmaceutical and clinical trial supply services firm, purchased a 25% stake of Massachusetts-based fill/finish contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) BSM.

Now, the firm has acquired the remaining 75% of BSM for an undisclosed fee and said the deal adds sterile fill/finish to its network of capabilities in the US. Collaboratively, Sharp and BSM will have the ability to offer global, integrated CDMO services to clients from sterile drug product production through to clinical trial services, commercial packaging, and supply.

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“The market continues to see increasing demand for sterile fill expertise and capacity particularly in injectables and Sharp saw this as an excellent opportunity to add upstream sterile fill capabilities for its biopharma clients,” a spokesperson for Sharp told BioProcess Insider.

“This acquisition means our clients will benefit from a fully integrated service from sterile manufacturing right through to distribution, globally. It will mean a more efficient and seamless client experience. It offers existing BSM clients downstream services and global reach.”

Through the acquisition, 228 BSM employees will become part of Sharp’s headcount. Furthermore, Sharp will also gain the CDMO’s 120,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in Lee, Massachusetts.

BSM operates an extensive fill finish service with specialized isolator-based sterile filling of vials, syringes, and cartridges with lyophilization capabilities.

The 228 employees at BSM will bring their skills and experience into the Sharp family and will continue to work from the facility in Lee, Massachusetts. BSM’s CEO Shawn Kinney will join Sharp’s senior leadership team with a goal to advance growth and development in sterile production services for its clients, while leading BSM’s daily operations.