WuXi Biologics Acquires Bayer's Wuppertal Drug Substance Facility for COVID-19 Vaccine Production

Germany's Bayer and China's WuXi Biologics announced on the 21st that they have reached an acquisition deal. According to the agreement, WuXi Biologics will acquire Bayer's biopharmaceutical drug substance manufacturing facility located in Wuppertal, Germany, for approximately €150 million. The facility will be used to produce active ingredients for COVID-19 vaccines and other biologics.

Headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany, Bayer is one of the largest companies globally in the pharmaceutical healthcare and agricultural sectors. WuXi Biologics, listed in Hong Kong and operating three facilities in Shanghai, Wuxi, and Suzhou, China, is an open-access biologics technology platform that provides end-to-end research and development services to global biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

This acquisition marks WuXi Biologics’ second purchase of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Germany this year. In April, the company completed its acquisition of Bayer’s biologics manufacturing plant (DP7) in Leverkusen, Germany.

WuXi Biologics stated on the 21st that the acquired drug substance manufacturing facility (MFG19) covers an area of 30,000 square meters, including three 1,000-liter perfusion production lines and six 2,000-liter fed-batch production lines, along with independent downstream supporting facilities. This acquisition will further enhance WuXi Biologics' global supply capacity for COVID-19 vaccines and other biologics. The MFG19 and DP7 facilities are expected to commence production within 2021, providing strong support for WuXi Biologics' European production supply chain.

Bayer and WuXi Biologics both stated that the transaction is still subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2021. (End)