Roche Evaluating Potential Sale or Shutdown of California-Based Biologic Drug Plant

US: Roche Holding AG, a Swiss pharmaceutical company, intends to sell its 800-person medicine manufacturing facility in Vacaville, California, or it will close the facility by 2029. Roche is also a renowned supplier of innovative solutions for essential disease areas worldwide. Roche has expanded to become one of the largest biotech firms in the world. Leading provider of in-vitro diagnostics and a global leader in healthcare. an innovator in oncology, neurology, infectious diseases, and ophthalmology, among other important disease areas. Roche Pharma is committed to transforming outstanding scientific research into patient-effective medications by developing novel treatments across the most prevalent illness categories.

Roche confirmed the site's sale plan in a statement, but it made no mention of the plant's probable closure or timing. The facility produces monoclonal antibodies from living cells that have undergone genetic modification.

Big-scale production will take place in one of the business's newer factories, according to the company, which stated in the statement that it does not anticipate needing the very big volumes of the medicines the factory supplies.

Moving forward, it also intends to concentrate on treatments that target smaller patient populations and use a variety of biotechnology techniques aside than monoclonal antibodies, it said, adding that there would be no impact on operations or personnel at this time.

Theresa Graham was appointed head of the pharmaceuticals sector in March, while Thomas Schinecker assumed the role of CEO for Roche this year.

The Swiss company is under pressure to create new treatments to make up for the billions in sales that have been lost because of low-cost biotech clones of its well-established cancer medications Herceptin, Avastin, and Rituxan, some of which are produced in Vacaville.

It is also battling declining sales of its COVID-19 treatments and diagnostics. According to the business, it is looking for a buyer who will keep the plant in operation.

The communications stated that the business will ramp down production and close the factory in 2028 to 2029 if it was unable to find a buyer.

When Roche purchased American biotech Genentech more than ten years ago, it also acquired the factory. The factory also produces Actemra for rheumatoid arthritis and the anticancer medications Avastin and Herceptin.

Roche and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals worked together to increase the availability of the COVID-19 antibody therapy during the pandemic. The medication was created by Roche in its Vacaville facility and is marketed as Ronapreve outside of the United States.