- Lonza completed its $1.2 billion acquisition of the Genentech biologics manufacturing site in Vacaville, California, one of the largest biologics manufacturing facilities in the world.
- The acquisition boosts Lonza’s U.S. capacity for mammalian biologics manufacturing, adding 750 employees to its team.
Lonza, one of the world’s largest healthcare development and manufacturing organizations, has completed its $1.2 billion acquisition of the Genentech large-scale biologics manufacturing facility located in Vacaville, California. This transaction marks a significant expansion of Lonza’s U.S. manufacturing capacity, enhancing its presence on the West Coast and complementing its existing operations across the globe.
The Vacaville site, which boasts a bioreactor capacity of approximately 330,000 litres, becomes one of the largest biologics production facilities within Lonza’s network. The acquisition adds 750 employees to Lonza’s workforce and integrates the site into the company’s mammalian manufacturing business unit. The new facility will support both late-stage clinical and commercial biologics production.
Speaking on the acquisition, Lonza CEO Wolfgang Wienand said: “The successful acquisition of the Vacaville site marks a major milestone for Lonza, and for our commitment to deliver long-term value for our customers and shareholders.”
The newly acquired site bolsters Lonza’s U.S. operations, particularly in the pharmaceutical hub near San Francisco, and complements its existing East Coast facility in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The company also announced plans to invest CHF 500 million to further upgrade the Vacaville facility, positioning it to meet rising demand for next-generation biologics therapies.
The site’s products will continue to be supplied to Roche in the medium term under a transitional agreement, with Lonza gradually shifting its focus to serving other customers as the facility’s role evolves.
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