Lonza Increases Mid-Scale Microbial Capacity Following Visp Facility Expansion

• Lonza has completed the expansion of its mid-scale microbial manufacturing facility at the Visp site, now equipped with two 4,000L fermenters.

• The facility has been granted a GMP license after a successful Swissmedic audit, enabling commercial-scale production of biologics.

Lonza has finalised the expansion of its mid-scale microbial manufacturing facility at the Visp site in Switzerland. Following a successful audit by Swissmedic, the site has received a GMP license, permitting cGMP manufacturing and the release of biologics produced through microbial fermentation.

The expanded facility includes two 4,000L fermenters, offering commercial-scale capacity to meet the growing demand from drug developers. The processes within the facility are highly automated, utilising an electronic manufacturing execution system (MES) and integrated sensors, which enhance both efficiency and product quality.

Located within the Ibex Biopark, the facility benefits from Lonza’s established infrastructure and experienced workforce. The company notes that the new capabilities will allow for greater flexibility in microbial manufacturing, complementing its existing small and large-scale operations.

Michael De Marco, Vice President and Head of Microbial at Lonza, stated, “Microbial manufacturing is a well-established and a favoured option for producing complex proteins. This expansion adds to our suite of scales and further strengthens our offering to flexibly adapt to all demand and life cycle scenarios of our customer’s medicines.”

The expansion is intended to address the increasing demand for microbial manufacturing capacity, driven by the growth of smaller and more complex next-generation molecules in the biotech pipeline. The facility now enhances Lonza’s ability to provide phase-appropriate supply across a range of customer needs in the biologics sector.