Lonza buys UK plot to support business growth

Lonza has purchased land in Thames Valley Park near Reading, UK to support its development opportunities for business growth.

Swiss contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Lonza confirmed to BioProcess Insider it “has purchased a plot in Thames Valley Park near Reading, UK. This acquisition provides us with additional development opportunities as our business continues to grow. We are looking forward to working closely with the relevant stakeholders as we develop our plans.”

While Lonza did not disclose any specific information regarding the land itself, associated financial costs, or plans for the plot, property news outlet CoStar News, reported the CDMO will develop British Gas’s former headquarters into a hub of around 400,000 square feet including laboratory space, offices, and a manufacturing plant.

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The CDMO provides services for small and large molecules and the firm already has a presence in the UK. Its site located in Slough (around 40km west of London) is used for mammalian biopharmaceutical process development and small-scale cGMP manufacturing, primarily for clinical phases. Additionally, the facility provides a range of analytical services, process optimization, and process scale-up activities.

In January 2019, Lonza announced a multi-million dollar investment to add single-use capacity and 180 jobs at its Slough plant. Furthermore, in February 2022, The Financial Times reported Lonza was looking to buy the Vaccine Manufacturing & Innovation Center (VMIC), a facility setup in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that never produced a single dose.

However, Catalent acquired the 74,000 square-foot site from the UK government for an undisclosed fee in April 2022 (the CDMO then mothballed the plant in November 2022 driven by lower COVID-19 related product demand).