Efforts include expansion of its Colorado facility and acquisition of Dowpharma’s nucleic acid medicines segment.
Agilent Technologies reports that it will be expanding its nucleic acid API production plant in Boulder, CO. As a part of this expansion, Agilent purchased Dowpharma’s assets related to its nucleic acid medicines business.
Agilent’s nucleic acids solutions division is adding large-scale nucleic acid synthesis, purification, and drying capacity that will be ready by the end of this year. The company’s capacity expansion features the addition of a 200–1,000 mmole synthesizer capable of producing kilo quantities of API per synthesis batch. Additional downstream processing capability will also be added with a 30 L/min chromatography system and two multikilo lyophilization units. Corresponding infrastructure and reaction vessels will be added for custom conjugation chemistries and duplex annealing of siRNAs.
“This expansion represents a significant commitment by Agilent to meet the supply demands of a rapidly expanding market,” notes James Powell, general manager of Agilent’s Nucleic Acid Solutions Division. “Merging our expansion plans with the acquisition of Dow’s assets will allow Agilent to respond to this demand well ahead of our original plan. Agilent will have the ability to serve customers from preclinical through large-scale commercial launch with facilities, equipment, and expertise across a broad range of nucleic acid APIs.”
