Sartorius Stedim Biotech expands production of key components for cell and gene therapies in France
Aubagne, France | September 18, 2025
- Capacity now exceeds 8,000 square meters across production, lab, and office space
- New GMP facility for transfection reagents strengthens supply of critical raw materials for cell and gene therapies
- Fully digitalized plant combines sustainable design with flexibility for future growth
- Capabilities and capacity to support next wave of GMP raw material innovations
Sartorius Stedim Biotech, a leading partner of the biopharmaceutical industry, has expanded its site in Illkirch near Strasbourg in France. The state-of-the-art facility adds pharmaceutical-grade (GMP) production of transfection reagents, which are critical components for viral vector manufacturing for novel therapies. With more than 8,000 square meters of total floor space, the location has more than doubled in size. Started at the end of 2022, the substantial investment underscores Sartorius Stedim Biotech’s dedication to supporting customers in producing cell and gene therapies.
“The expanded Illkirch site is a key manufacturing hub in our global network and enables us to even better help customers deliver advanced therapies to patients faster and more efficiently,” said René Fáber, CEO of Sartorius Stedim Biotech. “Transfection reagents are essential in the development of viral vectors, which play a vital role in delivering specific genetic material into target cells. As cell and gene therapies already account for about a third of the biologics pipeline today, Sartorius Stedim Biotech is excellently positioned to support the future growth of these life-changing treatments.”
Seamless transition from research to production
The new facility adds a full GMP-grade production area of more than 3,000 square meters for chemical synthesis, formulation, fill & finish operations, and quality control, complementing the existing manufacture of research-grade reagents and R&D activities. As part of the expansion, 20 new employees have joined the team already. “By bringing GMP-grade reagent production in-house, we’re enabling a seamless transition from early research to commercial supply for our cell and gene therapies customers,” said Chantal Devin Chaloin, Managing Director at the Illkirch site. “The expansion also lays the groundwork for introducing additional GMP raw materials in the future,” she continued. “Moreover, this strengthens our delivery reliability and reinforces the resilience of customers’ upstream supply chains.”
Upgrading manufacturing excellence and sustainability
Built to operate under the EU guidelines for sterile drug manufacturing (GMP Annex 1 standard), the fully digitalized facility ensures stringent documentation, traceability of raw materials, and batch-to-batch consistency. In addition, the building is powered exclusively by locally sourced CO2-neutral energy and covers around 10 percent of its electricity demand with solar panels. Cleanroom operations are highly energy-intensive because they require constant circulation and filtration of large volumes of air. To address this, the facility uses advanced HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) that recycle 80 percent of the air in classified areas. Combined with optimized room sizes to reduce treated air volume, this improves the site’s overall energy efficiency.
Investing in innovation and talent across France
Since 2021, Sartorius Stedim Biotech has invested significantly in its French operations, including Aubagne, Lourdes, Cergy and Pompey. Today, around 1,400 employees work at seven sites in France – thereof around 100 in Illkirch. At its headquarters in Aubagne the company in June opened its expanded production for fluid management technologies such as single-use bags, used for cell culture, storage and shipping in biopharma manufacturing, and R&D capacities. Over the past ten years, the number of employees in the country has approximately doubled.
