Autolus Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: AUTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation programmed T cell therapies, today announced that it has signed a long-term, full-building lease with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE) for the construction and development of an 85,000 square foot build-to-suit facility to be located in the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center in Rockville, Maryland. The new facility will house offices for Autolus’ U.S.-based research and development, commercial and corporate functions and serve as its first full commercial-scale manufacturing center, with a planned capacity to produce 5,000 T cell therapies annually. In addition, Autolus has established a temporary U.S. headquarters in Rockville until the new facility is ready for occupancy, which is currently expected to occur in 2021.
“This facility in the United States will be purpose-built to deliver on our commitment to provide advanced T cell therapies to patients based on a manufacturing process designed to be scalable and economical,” said Dr. Christian Itin, chairman and chief executive officer of Autolus.
In addition to the future full commercial-scale manufacturing facility in the United States, Autolus is also initiating build-out of a manufacturing facility in Enfield, U.K. that will open in 2020 and supply commercial viral vector as well as commercial T cell therapy products.
About Autolus Therapeutics plc
Autolus is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation, programmed T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer. Using a broad suite of proprietary and modular T cell programming technologies, the company is engineering precisely targeted, controlled and highly active T cell therapies that are designed to better recognize cancer cells, break down their defense mechanisms and eliminate these cells. Autolus has a pipeline of product candidates in development for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. For more information please visit www.autolus.com.