Johnson & Johnson Unveils New Vaccines Launch Facility to Support Global Rollout of Novel Vaccines
Johnson & Johnson unveiled a new, state-of-the-art vaccines launch facility that represents a significant investment by the company in novel vaccines development, global health and security, and pandemic preparedness efforts. The new facility in Leiden, the Netherlands has been built by Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. It features innovative technological and manufacturing platforms that can support the large-scale production of Janssen vaccines for late-stage (Phase 3) clinical trials and – pending regulatory approvals – the launch of new vaccines on a mass scale for global public use.
Janssen’s pipeline includes investigational vaccines to prevent some of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, including HIV, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), influenza, Ebola and Zika. In addition to supporting the development and launch of these vaccines, the new facility can also support global pandemic preparedness efforts, including Janssen’s most recent collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop a novel vaccine against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Speaking at the official opening of the facility, His Excellency Bruno Bruins, Minister for Medical Care and Sport of The Netherlands said: “The Dutch health care system is one of the best in the world. The Netherlands has a long tradition of innovation, research and the creation of high-quality jobs. The decision of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to relocate to Amsterdam has strengthened this position. The opening of this new Janssen Vaccines facility fits perfectly with our national heritage – and this development.”
The facility is the latest example of Janssen’s leadership in pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) in The Netherlands. It also helps to cement the company’s position as the biggest private investor in R&D across all industry sectors in the Benelux region.
“This new center represents a significant commitment by Johnson & Johnson in our mission to change the trajectory of human health,” said Johan Van Hoof, M.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head IDV, Vaccines, Janssen Pharmaceuticals R&D and Managing Director, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V. “By investing locally, we hope to protect globally by ensuring that innovative and effective vaccines become available to the people that need them wherever they may live.”
A number of cutting-edge R&D platforms will be deployed at the vaccines launch facility, including Janssen’s proprietary AdVac® viral vector vaccines technology and the company’s PER.C6® manufacturing platform. The PER.C6® platform has the potential to enable high capacity, high speed and cost-effective manufacturing for multiple types of vaccines.
“We are very proud of this new facility, which represents years of planning, platform development and process optimization for novel vaccines,” said Dirk Redlich, Ph.D., Head Vaccine Process and Analytical Development, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. “The bottom line is that we constructed this state-of-the-art center because we have confidence in our ability to deliver transformational vaccines. Ultimately, this building represents our concrete belief that we can create a better world – for people today, and for generations to come.”
Operations within the facility are already underway, focused on producing clinical trial supplies for Janssen’s late-stage vaccine candidates, including for HIV.