Beijing CRMO Further Expands UK Footprint with Abbvie’s Allergan Site

Beijing-based CRMO Pharmaron has accomplished impressive global growth via acquisitions over the past eight months. First buying up Beijing SMO LinkStart in July, then US-based Absorption Systems, a non-clinical CRO in November.

Today Pharmaron expands its U.K. presence with the $118.7 million purchase of AbbVie’s Allergan Biologics Limited (the ABL site) in Liverpool.  

The ABL site secures certified GMP manufacturing capabilities with state-of-the-art Cell and Gene Therapy product development expertise. Already accredited by the MHRA for biologic manufacturing, the site is turnkey for manufacturing on a commercial scale. 

Pharmaron’s goals to offer global end-to-end services are becoming a reality. The purchase of Absorption Systems not only got the company facilities and labs in Philadelphia, San Diego and Boston, but also core expertise in DMPK and bioanalysis. Additionally, Absorption System brought capability to evaluate cell and gene therapy products, and “further expands and strengthens our services and global network with strategic presence in life science hubs in the U.S.,” according to the November press release.  

Dr. Boliang Lou, Chairman and CEO of Pharmaron, commented, “We have been impressed with the CGT focused process R&D and complex biologic manufacturing capabilities of the ABL site, as well as the abilities that the highly experienced scientific, technical and managerial teams have demonstrated. The addition of this platform to Pharmaron will further strengthen our CGT services platform and allow us to better serve our partners’ needs in these exciting and emerging therapies. We are committed to further expanding capabilities and capacities at the Liverpool site to meet growing unmet demand. This transaction demonstrates our commitment to becoming a global leader in drug R&D services across multiple therapeutic modalities.” 

The ABL site in Liverpool hadn’t been in the Abbvie family all that long before the giant made the decision to sell it off. The two pharma’s finally got the clear to close on the massive deal last May after initially proposing 11 months prior. The $63 billion price tag makes this merger the second largest in life sciences history, just $11 billion short of record-holder Bristol-Myers Squibb with the acquisition of Celgene.  

Pharmaron now has over 11,000 employees on staff. The ABL site adds its name to three other Pharmaron sites in the U.K., bringing the company’s location total to 16 sites across China, the U.S. and the U.K. The company has partners across North America, Europe, Japan and China.