Avecia Expanding Drug Manufacturing Facility in Milford

Avecia, a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Milford, says it is building what will become the largest manufacturing site in the world for a specialized drug ingredient called oligonucleotide.
The expansion, which will add 20,000 square feet of space, will more than double the Milford site’s total capacity, the company said in a recent announcement. Oligonucleotide, a type of acid polymer, is used in a range of drugs, including to treat cancer. Avecia makes such pharmaceuticals for other biotech, medical device and pharmacy companies. Avecia plans to mark the opening of the facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 2nd.

Avecia has about 220 employees in Milford after adding more than 120 jobs in the past 12 months, the company said. The company, which has about 500 employees in all, said it plans to add more workers, with 50 job openings at its analytics department in Marlborough, at a Cincinnati facility and at a subsidiary in Irvine, Calif. Those jobs are in microbiology, analytical chemistry, manufacturing, quality assurance and engineering. (Source: Worcester Business Journal, 14 July, 2017)