Laupheim, Germany, July 13, 2006 – Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH, a full-service biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing organization (CMO), is starting to expand its facilities, buildings and laboratory units at the company’s site in Laupheim, Germany. This will increase production capacities for antibodies and mammalian cell culture-derived proteins. “By expanding our production capacity we will establish Rentschler Biotechnologie as a market supplier of antibodies," explains Dr. Nikolaus F. Rentschler, CEO at Rentschler Biotechnologie.
The Rentschler Group of companies, who recently sold its OTC business, will invest 50 million Euro in its biotechnology segment to build two fermentation suites with a total volume of 5.000 liters (2.500 L each) for market production and several smaller suites ranging from 250 to 500 liters for clinical supplies. These will create more than 100 jobs for highly skilled specialists. The expansion is progressing gradually and the first new production line is planned to go into operation early in 2008. In the future, 10 independent GMP facilities will be available for the production of biopharmaceuticals.
At its 3.500 m2 state-of-the-art facilities in Laupheim, Rentschler Biotechnologie presently possesses the capacity for manufacturing clinical supplies as well as market supply of low-dosed drugs such as cytokines. By setting up additional fermenter suites, the Rentschler Group will strengthen its biotechnology business of custom manufacturing services from cell line development to large-scale cGMP production, registration of drugs and fill and finish.
About Rentschler Biotechnologie – www.rentschler.de
Based in Laupheim, Germany, Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH is part of the privately held Rentschler Group of pharmaceutical companies. As a full-service contract manufacturer with a highly skilled staff of 250, Rentschler Biotechnologie has 30 years of experience in drug development, production and approval of biopharmaceuticals compliant with international GxP standards. The company’s area of expertise also includes regulatory affairs and fill and finish. Among the pioneers in the development and production of biotech drugs, Rentschler was the first company to gain market authorization for an interferon-containing drug.