Patheon picks up a Roche facility in South Carolina

For an “immaterial” sum, says Patheon (Durham, NC), it is acquiring a 1,100 acre, 300,000 sq.-ft. facility with manufacturing capacity for API ranging from development to manufacturing services. Roche had indicated a year ago that it was planning to close the facility, in Florence, SC, as part of a corporate-wide restructuring. With the addition of this site, Patheon expands its capacity for manufacturing highly potent compounds, and adds capabilities to support solid-state chemistry, micronization, and eventually, commercial spray drying.

The facility, employing 200, will enable Patheon to supply API to Roche while pursuing other client work at the facility. “Over time, Patheon expects the Florence facility to have a similar financial profile to its other sites in its drug substance segment,” according to the company. Jim Mullen, CEO, has noted in the past that the company has aggressive plans to be the “asset heavy” contract development and manufacturing provider to pharma, owning or managing production as pharma companies increase their emphasis on drug research.