Vetter Pharma Announces Plans to Build Plant Near Chicago

Vetter Pharma has announced today the dedication of its new 24,000-square-foot facility at the Illinois Science and Technology Park in Skokie, IL, USA, near Chicago. According to the firm, the new plant could enable US life-sciences firms to streamline their early development process and cut time to market.

Vetter, a contract manufacturer, produces aseptically prefilled injection systems including syringes, vials and injection pens. The facility, which is planned to be operational by the end of 2010, will focus on preclinical  projects and will fill very small quantities of product, required for early studies. Phase III projects will be transferred to the company’s German facilities for large-scale production.

“For injectable drugs, collaboration early in development is essential,” says Peter Soelkner, Vetter’s Managing Director. “What is the most user-friendly injection system for the patient? Should the compound be liquid or freeze-dried and reconstituted? What delivery system would best ensure multinational regulatory approval? Getting the answers right—the first time—speeds medications to market and to the patients that need them.”

“We are very pleased to welcome Vetter to Chicago as we prepare to host the upcoming 2010 BIO International Convention,” states David Miller, president and CEO of the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO). “It’s an extraordinarily well-respected firm; Vetter adds real depth to our rapidly growing life sciences community.”

Founded 25 years ago in Ravensburg, Germany, Vetter employs 2,200 people. The Skokie site, Vetter’s first U.S. facility and its first outside Germany, will eventually employ 50 to 60 highly skilled professionals.Vetter operates an office in Yardley, PA, USA.

“Since nearly half of our customer base is located in North America, creating a US facility was the logical next step,” says Soelkner. “Although we did consider several other US biotech hotspots, including Boston and San Francisco, Chicago best suited our needs.”

The suburban Chicago facility is located in a thriving biopharmaceutical region with an established infrastructure and a talent pool of 70,000 to 80,000 professionals. It is near prominent research institutions. Centrally located within the United States, the site is within 20 minutes of O’Hare Airport, a domestic and international hub.

Tags: injection pens, prefilled injection systems, Skokie, Syringes, Vetter Pharma, vials