Lonza Group Expands Manufacturing Capabilities

BASEL, Switzerland--Two Lonza Group divisions announced expansions to their manufacturing capabilities.

First, Lonza Group's Business Sector Biotec announced plans to expand its cGMP microbial fermentation manufacturing capability at its facility in Kourim, in the Czech Republic. With the completion of this CHF $85 million investment, the fermentation capacity will be increased by 50 percent, and new downstream processing capabilities and supporting utilities will be added. It is due to start operations in the fourth quarter of 2003.

The Business Sector Exclusive Synthesis recently expanded its ozonolysis capacity by installing a new ozone generator with an8 kg/hour capacity, a continuous ozonolysis reactor and a multipurpose train for downstream processing at its launch plant in Visp, Switzerland. The short residence times allow higher selectivity and the handling of unstable intermediates. The Exclusive Synthesis sector also set up cGMP manufacturing capacity for large scale solid phase manufacture of peptides at its Visp facility. Lonza now offers peptide synthesis in solid and liquid phases and by microbial fermentation.

For more information, visit www.lonzagroup.com or Booth #1320-1322 at SupplySide West.