ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IDT Biologika, a globally integrated manufacturer of vaccines and biopharmaceuticals, announces today the one-year anniversary celebration of its first U.S. contract manufacturing facility in Rockville, Maryland. The state-of-the-art facility offers custom, end-to-end solutions to support the manufacture of viral and microbial vaccines (live and attenuated), gene and cancer therapies, and therapeutic proteins. IDT commemorates its first anniversary with a special program and tours of its facility for local political leaders and members of the biopharmaceutical industry.
“This anniversary marks an important milestone for IDT Biologika as we continue to make significant advancements, here in Rockville and throughout our global organization, to offer our customers best-in-class process development and manufacturing capabilities from pre-clinical to commercial scale,” said IDT Biologika CEO Dr. Ralf Pfirmann. “This has been an exciting year for us. As a member of the fast growing and science-driven BioHealth Capital Region, we look forward to contributing to the economic vitality of the Rockville and Greater Washington, DC community.”
Since acquiring the Rockville facility in 2015, IDT Biologika has upgraded the site’s production infrastructure for clinical Phase I and Phase II vaccine and viral vector projects. The company has also added new capabilities, including the production of Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccines, which few facilities are able to manufacture. IDT plans to grow its staff at the Rockville facility to 60 full-time employees by the end of 2016.
“Maryland is proud that world-class vaccine and biotherapeutics manufacturer IDT Biologika is continuing to grow and invest in its operations here in our state and we congratulate them on marking their first year in operations in Rockville,” said Maryland Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Benjamin Wu. “The important work that IDT is doing right here in Rockville will help to improve the lives of millions across the globe and we look forward to their continued success.”
In addition to Dr. Pfirmann and Mr. Wu, special guests at today’s celebration included Bridget Donnell Newton, Mayor, City of Rockville; Brad Fackler, Senior Director of Biohealth and Life Sciences and other representatives from the State Department of Commerce; and representatives from federal congressional offices.
About IDT Biologika
IDT Biologika is an innovative life science company headquartered in Dessau, Germany with extensive expertise in research, development and manufacturing of vaccines, and in addition providing fill, finish and packaging services for antibodies and proteins. It has expanded its longstanding activity in vaccine development for Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical projects for the human vaccine market through its recently acquired Rockville, Maryland, USA facility. The company also operates vaccine development and manufacturing facilities in Riems, Germany and Cambridge, Canada and sales offices for its own animal health vaccines and biologics product portfolio in Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Spain, China and Canada. IDT Biologika is a company of the Klocke Group. The Klocke Group companies specialize in contract manufacturing and packaging of pharmaceuticals and cosmetic products. Klocke Group also owns a 50 percent stake in Oncotec Pharma Produktion, a cytotoxics development and manufacturing facility, located and integrated in IDT´s Dessau site. More information can be found at www.idt-biologika.com.
