On November 9, 2022, the foundation stone of Foster Biologics' biopharmaceutical industrialization project located at No. 589 Hongfeng Road, Linping Economic Development Zone, Hangzhou, China, was officially laid.
The foundation stone laid ceremony was attended by Mr. Rugen Chen, Party Secretary of Linping District, Mr. Huamiao Shi, Mayor of Linping District, Mr. Jikun Bian and Mr. Yu Song, Deputy Directors of the Management Committee of Economic Development Zone, Dr. Lieming Ding, Chairman of Betta Pharma, Dr. Feng Li, Chairman of MAB Works, Dr. Charlie Zhang, CEO of Foster Biologics, and Ms. Pei Ye, CTO/EVP of Foster Biologics, and other leaders.
Foster Biologics is a biologics CDMO platform established by the joint venture between Betta Pharma and MAB Works. The foundation stone laid for the Hangzhou Manufacturing Base, with a proposed 36,000 L scale manufacturing line, will create an opportunity to undertake high-end commercialization projects through large-scale capacity expansion.
Mr. Rugen Chen, Secretary of the Party Committee of Linping District, sent his warm congratulations to the groundbreaking of Foster Biologics' biopharmaceutical industrialization project. Mr. Chen said that the life and health industry is one of the three leading industries in Linping District, which has built a provincial-level biomedical high-tech park and other platform carriers and gathered a number of industry-leading enterprises represented by Betta Pharma. The strong combination of Betta Pharma and MAB Works will integrate the industry's advantageous resources and provide one-stop and differentiated CDMO services for global biopharmaceutical companies, which will also deeply empower the high-quality development of Linping. Government departments will also continue to strengthen the protection and help the construction of the project, and seriously implement the 25 policies for the landing of biopharmaceutical industry, while placing high hopes on the development of Foster Biologics' biopharmaceutical industrialization project.
In his speech, Dr. Feng Li, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MAB Works, shared with the audience the history of MAB Works' research and development and transformation of antibody-based innovative drugs, the development and marketing of Bevacizumab (MIL60), the collaboration between Betta Pharma and MAB Works, and the decision making and landing process of the Foster Biologics Biopharmaceutical Industrialization Project. He said that the project site is the lucky place for Betta Pharma to take off and open the door of China's innovative drugs, which witnessed the whole process of development and manufacturing of Icotinib to market and benefit patients. He expressed his hope that after the completion of the project, the team will continue to carry on the spirit of excellence of Betta Pharma and, with the support of the Linping District Government, grow bigger and stronger for the benefit of more patients and help the local economic development to reach a new level.
Dr. Lieming Ding, Chairman of Betta Pharma, reviewed the unforgettable development history and brilliant achievements of Betta Pharma in this piece of land, where Conmana (Icotinib hydrochloride), known as the "Two Bombs and One Satellite" in the field of people's livelihood, has benefited more than 400,000 patients with advanced lung cancer and won the class I National Prize For Progress in Science and Technology Award, which is the only one in China's chemical pharmaceutical industry and Zhejiang Province. Dr. Ding said that the cooperation with MAB Works on the Foster Biologics project represents the bright expectations of both parties for the future and also reflects the firm confidence of complementary advantages and strong alliance. As an innovative enterprise with advantages in the field of biologics, MAB Works and Betta Pharma have many ideas that match very well, and they quickly reached a consensus and chose to establish a joint venture focusing on biopharmaceutical CDMO in the Linping Economic Development Zone. With the care and help of the party committees and governments at all levels for the project, together with such a good policy and business environment, as well as the advantages of talents, team and resources, we believe that Foster Biologics will do better and better, and help Hangzhou and Linping biopharmaceutical industry to develop to a higher level.
Dr. Charlie Zhang, CEO of Foster Biologics, made a key introduction to the Foster Biologics Biopharmaceutical Industrialization Project and the construction progress of the project. Foster Biologics Hangzhou base is located at No. 589 Hongfeng Road, Linping District, with a total land area of 35 mu (Chinese unit of land measurement that is commonly 666.7 square meters). The project plans to add a new construction area of 54,000 square meters, focusing on the layout of disposable single use bioreactor (SUB) DS manufacturing line, stainless steel bioreactor (SS) DS manufacturing line, Vials, Lyophilized and PFS DP manufacturing line, process science and QC laboratory. The completion of Hangzhou base will realize the north-south layout of Foster Biologics, the operation of dual-core echo, and the continuous improvement of manufacturing capacity, thus helping Foster Biologics to develop rapidly. Finally, Dr. Zhang expressed his heartfelt thanks to the government leaders at all levels, various committees and bureaus, Betta Pharma and MAB Works colleagues for their support and encouragement to the project construction.
Finally, Ms. Yaqin Gao, a representative of the 20th CPC Party Congress and a quality engineer of Betta Pharma, announced the official start of the Foster Biologics Biopharmaceutical Industrialization Project.
With Ms. Gao's announcement, all the leaders and guests moved to the center of the venue and waved the shovel to build the Foster Biologics Hangzhou Base amidst the sound of cannons and the whistle of construction vehicles, wishing the completion of the Foster Biologics Hangzhou Base as soon as possible!
At this point, the foundation stone laying of Foster Biologics' Biopharmaceutical Industrialization Project came to a successful conclusion.
Foster Biologics will continue to accelerate the pace of construction, strive to put into production as soon as possible, and contribute to the development of biopharmaceutical industry in Linping, Hangzhou.
