Fluor Corporation announced that its Advanced Technologies & Life Sciences business was selected by Agilent Technologies, Inc., to expand its oligonucleotide therapeutics manufacturing facility in Frederick, Colorado, just north of Denver. Fluor is supporting engineering and procurement as part of the project. The total project value is $725 million.

 

“Speed to market is essential in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Juan Hernández, president of Fluor’s Advanced Technologies & Life Sciences business. “We will incorporate state-of-the-art engineering enhancements such as advanced automation, water reduction strategies and solvent capturing to optimize cost and construction. This enables us to fast-track the project so that Agilent can meet its global customers’ needs by getting products to market faster.”

 

Fluor is providing architectural and engineering services and procuring equipment for the new 275,000 square-foot manufacturing facility that will house two manufacturing lines to double manufacturing capability. The completed facility will provide for the synthesis, purification and lyophilization of Agilent’s custom nucleic acids therapeutics, also known as oligonucleotides or oligos.

 

Oligos are short deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules that serve as the active pharmaceutical ingredients for drugs targeting a growing number of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rare and infectious diseases.

 

Construction is underway with completion expected by 2026.