Nephron Pharmaceuticals has some big New Year’s resolutions for 2021: Create 380 new jobs, complete a massive expansion of its facilities and help provide COVID-19 vaccines to South Carolinians.
Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the West Columbia-based company’s expansion:
- $215.8 million: Total cost of the expansion at Nephron Pharmaceuticals’ Saxe-Gotha Industrial Park campus
- 110,000: Square footage of the vaccine production, chemotherapy and antibiotic wing expected to be operational in March
- 240,000: Square footage of the new Kennedy Innovation Center (where Nephron’s recent beam raising ceremony was held)
- 5 million: How many vaccines – the first produced by Nephron – that President and CEO Lou Kennedy wants to see go to South Carolinians
The FDA authorized use of the Pfizer-BioNTech + Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in December, and Nephron is gearing up to meet the needs of the community with their new vaccine production wing. The company is actively looking for a vaccine production partner to provide the ammunition for the prefilled sterile syringes that make up its 503B Outsourcing Facility arm.
While there is anticipation of a medical-grade glass shortage due to high demand for the vaccine, Nephron has the ability to work around that. Says Lou Kennedy: “Our option will be to put the vaccine in plastic. We have the technology and the capability.”
Pro-tip: Follow Nephron on Facebook + Twitter for the latest updates on its expansion and vaccine production. We’re excited. Ⓟ