Finvector unveils new manufacturing plant in Kuopio, Finland

Biopharmaceutical company Finvector has unveiled a new manufacturing plant in Kuopio, Finland, with a ceremony held in the Savilahti area. The five-story facility spans 25,000 square meters, featuring 1,400 square meters of production space, offices, meeting rooms, storage, and a cafeteria. The actual production of a virus-based gene therapy for bladder cancer is set to commence by the end of next year or early 2026.

Finvector is part of the Swiss Ferring Group, which has invested over €600 million in developing this treatment since 2014, with more than half of that amount directed to Finland and Kuopio. While Finvector has not disclosed the construction costs of the new plant, the company secured a €45 million loan from the Nordic Investment Bank for the investment, along with a nearly €20 million loan from Business Finland and a €6.5 million grant from the Regional Council.

According to Finvector’s CEO Matthias Krieger, the investments run into “tens of millions of euros.” He emphasized the complexity of manufacturing cutting-edge gene therapies and the necessity of adhering to the highest standards, resulting in significant costs.

Relating to future operations, Krieger announced that the company is already planning to expand the facility, with new production space potentially starting construction next year. The company holds FDA approval for its drug Adstiladrin, the first gene therapy approved for superficial bladder cancer in the U.S.

Currently, the workforce at Finvector has more than doubled in the past two and a half years, totaling over 500 employees from over 50 countries. The company began more than 30 years ago as a spinoff from gene therapy research at the University of Eastern Finland. With its innovative approach, Finvector is positioning Kuopio as a biotechnology hotspot and aims to enhance Finland’s reputation in the global pharmaceutical industry.