With an official inauguration ceremony, HALIX celebrated the opening of its 6,700 m² brand-new cGMP facility at the Leiden Bioscience Park in The Netherlands.

On behalf of HALIX, Alex Huybens, COO of HALIX, Dr. Roland Hecht, CCO of HALIX, Dr. Harry Flore, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HALIX, and Paul Dirkse, Alderman of the municipality of Leiden, ceremoniously opened the new facility. The opening marks the achievement of a major milestone within the construction process and is the basis for HALIX growth and expansion strategy. This enables HALIX to support its clients manufacturing of protein based products, the key technology for future drug production, and virus based products with cutting-edge technologies. The new building houses GMP production areas for viral and protein products and client-specific technologies, as well as associated laboratory and administration areas.

Alex Huybens, COO of HALIX, was proud to inaugurate the facility: “The facility is a symbol for the strong innovative, dynamic and modern culture at HALIX. Our team jointly worked with huge efforts on the progress of our client’s projects and the HALIX itself. These efforts and the new facility enable us to serve the growing client and market demands.” Dr. Harry Flore, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HALIX B.V., adds: “We build our investment strategy alongside global megatrends. In the field of Pharma APIs based on proteins are of importance and sustainable trends in the future drug production. With these state-of-the art new production facilities HALIX sets a new milestone in its development as a highly specialized biotech Company.”

Epidemics and pandemics have changed historical life and, as a result of climate change, will transform future life in modern economies. Nowadays, the Chikungunya virus and Zika virus, carried via mosquitoes, are already prevalent in Africa and South America. HALIX produces vaccines to prevent spreading those infectious and other viral diseases. HALIX is also focusing on therapeutic vaccines, specific oncolytic therapeutic vaccines such as to cure dedicated types of cancer.

The new five-level production facility contains a state-of-the-art manufacturing line for viral vaccines and viral vectors, starting soon, with a 250 L bioreactor scale. A separate protein manufacturing area with a capacity up to 1,000 L single-use bioreactors is available. Laboratory spaces within the facility allow process development and transfer, analytical development and quality control of biopharmaceuticals.

All cleanroom areas have a unidirectional process flow and are designed to allow commercial manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products. The cleanrooms, all BSL2 classified, are prepared for an upgrade to BSL3, if required. The office spaces, laboratory and cleanroom areas offer up to 70 employees attractive and modern workplaces.