BE&K Building Group recently completed an 11,000 sf cGMP Biomanufacturing Facility Upfit for Locus Biosciences in Morrisville, North Carolina. This upfit transformed a 30-year old, one-story shell space into a leading-edge BSL-2 laboratory and biomanufacturing space. The heart of this upfit consists of three separate processing suites that provide for a comprehensive process; from raw materials to finished dosage form, with the potential to run up to three products simultaneously for global distribution.
Locus’ project represents a seismic shift in science to combat bacteria in the human body. It’s products represent the eventual replacement and potential elimination of the need for many antibiotic therapies. The company develops CRISPR Cas3-enhanced bacteriophage (crPhageTM) precision products to address critical unmet medical needs in bacterial infections. Bacteriophage therapy has enjoyed renewed interest from the medical community in recent years as antibiotic resistance has emerged as a serious global public health threat. During its brief history, Locus has become the world’s leading developer of products based on today’s most advanced CRISPR technology.
Construction began on November 4, 2019 and was substantially complete August 12, 2020. With this upfit, Locus has expanded its cGMP manufacturing capabilities to establish strategic clinical and small-scale commercial applications specializing in formulation development, process development, and product manufacturing.
Thank you to your team for the excellent job in building out our new fully flexible and integrated BSL-2 GMP facility that meets all EU and FDA regulations in a scheduled timeframe of 9 months. The design and construction approach was executed by BE&K with the highest of quality and Locus expectation. The construction program was an extension of our current and on-going operations and the interaction between the two was seamless. Thank you again for a job well done.
— Paul Garofolo, President + CEO, Locus Biosciences
BE&K is also excited to announce this project recently received an Eagle Award for Excellence in Construction (EIC) as recognized by ABC of the Carolinas (ABCC). ABCC’s EIC program is the premier competition within the Carolinas’ construction community that recognizes outstanding projects ABC members have built. In November, ABCC visited our RTP office to personally present the award. Congratulations to all our team members involved with this project!
For an inside look at this impressive facility, click here to access a short video.