Thursday, June 22, 2023
Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals Inc., a leading biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative therapies for rare diseases, has officially inaugurated its state-of-the-art gene therapy manufacturing facility in Bedford, Massachusetts. With a robust pipeline of advanced gene therapies targeting rare genetic disorders, the company's latest facility will facilitate the reliable and large-scale production of gene therapy treatments. Leveraging their proprietary Pinnacle PCLTM (producer cell line) manufacturing platform, Ultragenyx aims to enhance production efficiency, product quality, and yield while reducing costs and accelerating the manufacturing process.
Dennis Huang, Chief Technical Operations Officer and Executive Vice President for Gene Therapy Research and Development at Ultragenyx, expressed his excitement, stating, "Today marks the culmination of years of dedicated work by countless individuals, all united by a shared mission to transform the lives of individuals affected by rare diseases. Through this facility, Ultragenyx will be able to develop and produce gene therapy treatments on a larger scale, making these rare disease therapies more accessible to those in need."
Situated on a 10.7-acre site in Bedford, Ultragenyx's new gene therapy manufacturing facility spans an impressive 110,000 square feet. The location was strategically chosen due to its proximity to the company's research and development operations in the Greater Boston area. Ultragenyx plans to hire 120 employees with a diverse range of skills and backgrounds to staff the facility. The company already employs over 350 individuals in Massachusetts, accounting for more than a quarter of its global workforce, across its sites in Bedford, Woburn, and Cambridge.
Throughout the process, Ultragenyx collaborated closely with the Town of Bedford and various community partners. This collaboration began with site selection and groundbreaking and continued through construction and activation. The company fostered strong relationships with local educational institutions, including Middlesex Community College, as well as leading life science organizations such as the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio) and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. Additionally, Ultragenyx engaged with local chambers of commerce, including the Bedford and Woburn Chambers, and the Middlesex 3 Coalition, among others. Moving forward, Ultragenyx remains committed to ongoing collaboration with these local and regional partners.
