New Jaguar Gene Manufacturing facility to be developed in Durham

Jaguar Gene Therapy, a gene therapy firm based in Illinois, has selected Durham County in North Carolina, as the location to set up its new Jaguar Gene Manufacturing facility. The firm is known for its laboratory operations and focuses mostly on the development of therapies for people with severe genetic orders. According to records from the state Department of Commerce, Jaguar Gene’s search for the project site initially started in 2020, with the evaluation of 30 sites. 

Jaguar Gene Manufacturing facility brings 200 new jobs to Durham

This $125 million expansion project covers the construction of a new Jaguar Gene Manufacturing facility, located at the Research Triangle Park in Durham County; 20 miles away from the firm’s already existing Laboratory in Cary. The expansion will take place on 174,000 square feet of land and is proposed to create up to 200 jobs according to the company. This development is receiving support from the state and local authorities in the form of incentives, which are worth over $7 million. The Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) will also support the project with $2 million over the next 12 years.  

Also Read Block 34 Clinic Building facility at UCSF Mission Bay campus breaks ground

The New Jaguar Gene Manufacturing facility will be a fully equipped manufacturing plant designed to support the company’s clinical and commercial production processes in the future. The production plant will be used for the creation of the company’s initial programs for Type 1 diabetes, a specific genetic cause of autism, galactosemia, and many more.

The primary goal of the new Jaguar Gene Manufacturing facility is to increase production and at the same time ensure that the product impurities are minimized. Hence the center will accommodate (CDMO) current contract development manufacturing organization  partnerships as well as provide the avenue for third party networks to assure uninterrupted supply.

This new Jaguar manufacturing facility in Durham will be operated and owned by the nation’s leading provider of life science real estate, Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. based in California. The expansion project was supported by several partners including the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Durham County, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, and North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

The chief operating officer of Jaguar Gene Therapy Andrew Knudten said the  Jaguar Gene Manufacturing facility will offer the company greater control over the manufacturing processes and ensure that the final products are manufactured to the highest quality.