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SK pharmteco, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has opened a new, 300,000 square-foot current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) plasmid suite at its plant in King of Prussia, PA.1
The project demonstrates the company’s interest in a scalable supply of high-quality plasmids, which are critical in the development cell and gene therapies (CGTs). Plasmids are considered the building blocks for viral vector manufacturing and therapies that treat patients with unmet medical needs.
SK pharmteco’s announcement comes at a time when the CGT field faces obstacles pertaining to reimbursement in the United States. High upfront costs of these therapies can range anywhere from $500,000 to $3.5 million, which creates a challenge for patient access.
“This new cGMP plasmid suite in King of Prussia represents a solid investment in our capabilities and our commitment to the cell and gene therapy sector,” said Joerg Ahlgrimm, SK pharmteco’s CEO. “We understand the vital role that high-quality plasmids play in developing these transformative medicines, and this expansion will enable us to serve our clients better and ultimately contribute to bringing these therapies to patients in need.”
The facility will provide a variety of services, such as process development and plasmid manufacturing. There will not only be four suites working to manufacture three distinct plasmid grades, but two independent aseptic fill-finish operations. It is also expected to provide integrated CDMO and contract analytical testing services, along with an in-house cGMP cell line.
In other plasmid news, the CDMO has also unveiled Plasmid-IQ Design, its branded plasmid engineering platform.2 It intends to enhance genetic constructs and significantly improve their production efficiency and performance.
“Plasmid design is a cornerstone of modern biological research, and optimizing its structure is critical to achieving research and manufacturing goals efficiently,” noted John Lee, global head of cell and gene therapy. “Plasmid-IQ Design addresses often overlooked challenges in plasmid engineering and offers tailored solutions that enhance stability, scalability, and performance. Our collaborative approach leverages deeply nuanced biology while also tailoring that biology to the unique needs of our advanced therapy customers.”
References
1. SK pharmteco Opens New CGMP Plasmid Suite in King of Prussia, Strengthening Commitment to Cell and Gene Therapy Innovation. SK pharmteco. May 1, 2025. Accessed May 7, 2025. https://www.skpharmteco.com/news-insights/press-release/sk-pharmteco-opens-new-cgmp-plasmid-suite-in-king-of-prussia-strengthening-commitment-to-cell-and-gene-therapy-innovation/
2. SK pharmteco Launches Plasmid-IQ™ Design, a Proprietary Plasmid Engineering Platform to Revolutionize Genetic Construct Design. SK pharmteco. May 7, 2025. Accessed May 7, 2025. https://www.skpharmteco.com/news-insights/press-release/sk-pharmteco-launches-plasmid-iq-design-a-proprietary-plasmid-engineering-platform-to-revolutionize-genetic-construct-design/