Bristol Myers Squibb Expands Devens Facility for Cancer Research
NEC member Bristol Myers Squibb, a New York-based biopharmaceutical company, recently added a 244,000 square-foot expansion to their Devens, MA, facility to further the company’s efforts to battle cancer. The new addition is expected to begin operations by the end of the year and will be at the forefront of cancer technology for producing Breyanzi, a CAR-T cell therapy designed to treat lymphoma in patients.
CAR-T cell therapy is a highly specialized process involving genetically modified cells that are personalized to attack a patient’s cancer cells. It generally takes weeks to isolate, freeze, dilute, and monitor the modified cells before the patient can receive an infusion. Though Breyanzi only recently won FDA approval in February 2021 and is a relatively new technology, the Devens expansion seeks to enhance CAR-T cell manufacturing capability for Bristol Myers-Squibb. The site is also expected to add hundreds of jobs.
Krishnan Viswanadhan, a senior vice president for the company’s global cell therapy franchise, stated, “I’m really excited about what cell therapy has to offer.”
The New England Council congratulates Bristol Myers Squibb on their expansion and looks forward to seeing continuous advancements in cell research in the fight against cancer. Read more from the Worcester Business Journal.