CSL Behring, a King of Prussia, Pa.-based provider of plasma protein therapeutics, has announced a multi-year, $450-million two-site global capacity expansion, the latest in a series of recent production expansions to meet the growing need for therapies used to treat patients with rare and serious medical disorders around the world. 

This expansion further strengthens CSL Behring's global manufacturing capabilities with production capacity increases of albumin at its Broadmeadows facility in Melbourne, Australia, and plasma intermediates at its Kankakee site in Illinois. The cross-functionality enabled by the capacity expansions will allow CSL Behring to leverage its global manufacturing network, helping to optimize the manufacturing efficiencies of immunoglobulin and albumin.   Of the $450 million investment, $240 million will be for Kankakee and $210 million for Broadmeadows.

CSL Behring applies its experience in protein science to produce therapies for patients with rare and serious diseases around the world. This is accomplished through a sophisticated interchange of plasma and plasma intermediates produced at four integrated global sites in Illinois, Australia, Switzerland and Germany.

About 200 jobs will be created during construction in Broadmeadows, and 190 manufacturing jobs will be in place when the new facility is fully operational. The new facility will comprise two manufacturing modules. Construction of the first module will begin in the next several weeks and will take about four years to complete. Broadmeadows currently has 650 employees.

At Kankakee, the expansion will substantially increase the production of plasma intermediates. CSL Behring uses plasma intermediates to make albumin and also immunoglobulins. The expansion is expected to be completed in 2017.