The first phase will see the construction of a 25,000
square feet site which will include a process development lab expansion, scheduled
for completion in Autumn 2021. The lab will facilitate Genezen’s delivery of
its optimized closed and continuous processes for viral vector production. The
remaining buildout phases of the facility will complete in early 2022. The investment builds on Genezen’s expertise in
lentiviral and retroviral vector production and early-phase development of cell
therapy products, so the company can help current and future clients initiate
and continue to supply early phase clinical trials. Bill Vincent, Chairman and CEO of Genezen
commented, “The cell and gene therapy sector is evolving rapidly, and there’s
growing demand for capacity and expertise. Building on recognized expertise in
lentiviral and retroviral vector platforms, and leveraging the CDMO experience
of our investor Ampersand, we are investing heavily to meet this need now, and
in the future. “Our new facility will support clients with the
latest technologies as they develop and deliver life-changing therapeutics to
patients." Genezen partnered with DPS Group, a global
engineering, procurement, construction management and validation firm, to build
the state-of-the-art facility for the aseptic manufacture of lentivirus
vectors. The facility will include multiple cGMP production suites including
capabilities for host cell expansion, host cell banking, and viral vector
production via transient transfection and producer cell lines. The vector
product will be aseptically filled into sterile bags and provides the ideal
presentation for use in cell therapy. Genezen will also deliver a full suite of complementary
process development capabilities to support cGMP and commercial readiness,
upstream and downstream process improvements, research grade and preclinical
vector production, and analytical assay development and validation from the
site. Analytical testing services, including
Recombinant Competent Lentivirus (RCL) testing, vector stability testing, and
safety and sterility testing, will also be available. The new facility is being funded by a majority
investment from Ampersand Capital Partners, a private equity firm specializing
in growth equity investments in the healthcare sector. David Anderson, General Partner at Ampersand, added
“I am confident that our partnership will help Genezen to better serve its customers
as the company builds out its infrastructure and service offering, to
complement the deep expertise of its people." “We believe that Genezen will fast become a
market leader in cGMP manufacturing of lentiviral vectors for the cell and gene
therapy sector – it’s an incredibly exciting prospect in a revolutionary
healthcare market that is set to grow for years to come.” Genezen will continue to provide cell
manufacturing and patient sample testing through its existing academic
partnerships. -ENDS- For further information, images and interview
opportunities, please contact Lara Lovenbury at ramarketing: lara@ramarketingpr.com |
+44 (0)773 268 1275 | ramarketingpr.com |
Twitter: @ramarketingpr | Facebook: /ramarketingpr | Linkedin: /ramarketing About Genezen Laboratories, Inc. Founded in Indianapolis in 2014,
Genezen Laboratories is focused on supporting the demands of the current and future
gene and cell therapy manufacturing market worldwide— making viral vector
production accessible to both early-stage, growth-oriented companies and
established industry leaders. Genezen offers early-phase process development,
GMP vector production, and analytical testing services, building on the
company's expansive knowledge and experience in the industry and working with
the nation's leading institutions. For more information, or to learn more about
services offered in Genezen's new cGMP facility, please visit www.genezenlabs.com. About Ampersand Capital Partners Founded in 1988, Ampersand is a middle market
private equity firm with more than $2 billion of assets under
management dedicated to growth-oriented investments in the healthcare sector.
With offices in Boston, MA and Amsterdam, Netherlands, Ampersand
leverages a unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build
value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company
management teams. Ampersand has helped build numerous market-leading companies
across each of the firm's core healthcare sectors. Additional information about
Ampersand is available at www.ampersandcapital.com. | 
