November 29, 2019
Last Friday, Thermo Fisher Scientific—a Massachusetts based manufacturing company focused on technological advancements for the purpose of improving public health—announced Progress Park in Alachua as the site of the company’s $6 million expansion of gene therapy and viral vector service facilities.
The Alachua expansion is part of a $270 million company growth initiative, following the Fortune 500 company’s $1.7 billion buyout of Brammer Bio—an industry leader in viral vector development and manufacturing—in May 2019.
The recent acquisition of the 95,000 square foot facility doubles Thermo Fisher’s laboratory and quality control areas, enabling researchers to continue the development of gene therapy products. Thermo Fisher estimated a staff increase around 10%—adding to the company’s 250 existing employees.
Gene therapy provides genetic material lacking from the body which enables patients’ bodies to cure diseases naturally, according to Chris Murphy, vice president of Viral Vector Services and general manager at Thermo Fisher.
Murphy elaborates on the focus on viral vector services at the Alachua site, saying “the team at our Alachua facility has more than 12 years of expertise developing processes, analytics and manufacturing GMP materials to help our customers with clinical development of advanced medicines for rare and complex diseases.” The expansion, Murphy continues, “signifies our continued commitment to serve our gene therapy customers and their patients in need.”
Larry Pitcher, general manager of the site at Progress Park, echoes the company’s commitment to advancing gene therapy and viral vector services, saying, “it’s really about the patient community we serve, and getting these treatments to them as soon as possible.”
Thermo Fisher was provided the first ever ‘key to the region’ by the Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce in recognition of the company’s progress both globally and locally, during last week’s unveiling of the facility.
Bryan Harrington, directors’ chair of the Greater Gainesville Chamber, expressed excitement at the prospective growth of the area’s biotech research and industry during the unveiling of the site.
As Harrington, and other guest speakers, pointed out—local assets such as the University of FL, UF Health, and Santa Fe College are able to provide Thermo Fisher’s team with valuable resources. The presence of an advanced biotech manufacturing facility and it’s collaboration with local researchers also provides the prospect of keeping more UF graduates in Alachua county.
For the residents of Alachua County and surrounding areas, this means greater access to a growing field of pharmaceutical and therapeutic health resources. Thermo Fisher’s Alachua site is expected to play a major role, not only in the expansion of the region’s biotech sector, but also in the area’s growth and development.
Learn more about the expansion here.
