Drug manufacturer Curia plans to boost its production capabilities in Albuquerque with a 65,000-square-foot expansion at its Alexander Boulevard facility.
The expansion is part of an effort to support U.S. production of medicines that can be injected. A cooperative agreement between Curia and the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the U.S. Army Contracting Command includes funding for a "high-speed fill-finish vial line," according to a news release from Curia.
Sterile fill-finish essentially means sterilizing the drug product, container and closure before they are brought together, Business First previously reported.
Visual inspection technology, cold storage capability and enhanced security features and other upgrades are also on tap as well as a "filling line" for syringes, vials and cartridges at its facility on Balloon Park Road, according to the company.
A media representative for Curia, which is headquartered in Albany, New York, could not be reached Wednesday for comment.
In a statement, Curia CEO and chairman John Ratliff said, “Scientific advances including biologics and vaccines require injectable formulations. The fill-finish of this type of product demands specialized expertise and equipment. Our investments in Curia’s Albuquerque facility have already increased capacity and added to our talented team in New Mexico."
As of March, the company reportedly employed about 400 people in Albuquerque where it supports the supply of vaccines and treatments for cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other types of disease.
In all, the company now has 3,700 employees across Asia, Europe and the U.S., according to the release.
Curia announced an agreement with AstraZeneca in 2020 to support the production of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate with plans to add about 150 employees for vaccine production, vice president and general manager Jonathan Shoemaker previously told Business First.
However, the AstraZeneca vaccine faced early setbacks during trials and has not received approval for use in the U.S. by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
