- Sumitomo Chemical has announced the completion of S-RACMO’s third regenerative medicine and cell therapy manufacturing facility, CRAFT, built at a cost of approximately ¥3.7 billion (USD $25.5 million).
- The facility doubles the company’s production capacity and supports its strategy to expand its regenerative medicine CDMO business.
Sumitomo Chemical has announced that its subsidiary S-RACMO Co., Ltd., 66.6% owned by Sumitomo Chemical and 33.4% by Sumitomo Pharma, has completed construction of its third regenerative medicine and cell therapy manufacturing facility, known as CRAFT (Center for Regenerative Medicine and Future Therapy). The facility is located in Suita, Osaka, on the premises of Sumitomo Pharma’s Central Research Laboratories.
The two-storey facility spans 1,836 square metres and was built at a cost of approximately ¥3.7 billion. It features multiple independent manufacturing suites, complies with BSL-2 containment standards, and includes laboratory and quality control testing space. The site is designed with carbon neutrality in mind, consuming roughly one-third less energy than conventional facilities through an all-electric, energy-efficient air conditioning system.
CRAFT has doubled S-RACMO’s production capacity, enabling the company to meet growing customer demand for contract manufacturing of regenerative medicine and cell therapies. The company has already received multiple business enquiries for projects involving the new facility.
To further expand its capabilities, S-RACMO plans an additional investment of approximately ¥15 billion. This will include enhancements to existing facilities and the construction of a fourth manufacturing site. The investment plan will benefit from Japan’s 2024 Supplementary Budget Subsidies for regenerative medicine and gene therapy manufacturing, which support CDMOs in expanding domestic infrastructure and talent.
