COVID-19: Meissner secures $13.4m BARDA award to produce single-use systems

03-May-2021 - Last updated on 04-May-2021 at 10:03 GMT

Meissner's California HQ © Meissner

Meissner Filtration Products has just been awarded a US$13.4m contract from the US government agency, BARDA, to boost its production capability for components critical to vaccines and therapies linked to the COVID-19 response.

The company, which manufactures advanced microfiltration products and single-use systems for critical pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical applications, such as sterilization of injectable drugs, is expanding its Camarillo, California, manufacturing campus by making a “significant investment” alongside the award from the US agency, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

The joint funding will see additional cleanroom manufacturing space, implementation of advanced inventory management systems, and an increase in support areas to augment capacity.

A spokesperson told BioPharma-Reporter that Meissner will be manufacturing single-use systems that are critical components used in vaccine manufacturing, specifically in support of the COVID-19 response including but not limited to biocontainer assemblies, bottle assemblies, fluid transfer sets, and filtration and filling assemblies.

She said a detailed plan, including goals and milestones, was set out to guarantee expeditious capacity expansion for such production.

Meissner’s BARDA contract directly applies to products necessary for domestic manufacturing, said the spokesperson. “However we are making a significant investment alongside the BARDA funding to further augment capacity to support global supply.”

Irish production base

Meissner’s manufacturing facility in Castlebar, Co Mayo, Ireland began operations in May 2020. A cleanroom was installed at that site for the manufacture of single-use systems to support its biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical client base.

That Irish plant has been key in support of Meissner’s global client base in relation to components for COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics manufacture, said the spokesperson.

In setting up the Mayo facility the company took advantage of an existing advanced technology building constructed by the IDA in Castlebar, expanding it substantially. Last May, it said it expected 150 jobs to be created at the Castlebar site over the next few years.

Establishing that base in Co Mayo sees Meissner join a cluster of international companies from Allergan to Baxter to Hollister.