Bora Pharmaceuticals Expands US Footprint with Major Acquisition of Emergent Biosolution’s Maryland Facility

 According to a press release dated June 20, Bora Pharmaceuticals, based in Taiwan, has purchased a sterile manufacturing facility from Emergent BioSolutions. This 87,000-square-foot facility, located in Camden, Maryland, will offer manufacturing services for sterile injectables, including lyophilization, vial filling, and pre-filled syringe filling through its four fill lines.

The $30 million deal encompasses the transfer of assets, equipment, and Emergent's existing workforce of approximately 350 employees. Emergent states that the transaction is anticipated to be finalized in Q3, pending customary closing conditions. For Bora, acquiring the Camden facility is a key component of its strategy to expand its presence in the U.S. The acquisition bolsters Bora’s foray into sterile drug product manufacturing and enhances its biologics development and manufacturing capabilities, as stated in the press release.

The company stated, “Bora has ambitious plans to enhance the newly acquired facility, and all staff currently based at the Camden site will be given the opportunity to remain in place and become part of the Bora team.”

Bora Pharmaceuticals' acquisition of Camden comes after its $210 million purchase of Minnesota-based Upsher-Smith Laboratories earlier this year, aiming to strengthen its North American footprint. Upsher-Smith Laboratories, a generics manufacturer, operates facilities in Plymouth and Maple Grove, Minnesota, producing various drug dosage forms including oral solids, powders, liquids, and packaging.

With the addition of these new sites, Bora Pharmaceuticals now operates two facilities in the U.S., five in Taiwan, and one in Canada, according to their website. Emergent’s sale of the Camden facility follows its May announcement of the closure of its Baltimore and Rockville sites and the layoff of 300 employees. The Maryland-based pharmaceutical company is undergoing a restructuring to save up to $80 million.