Japanese pharma firm Eisai Co. has announced a strategic investment supported by the UK Government under the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF), subject to terms and conditions, at its manufacturing site in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (UK), to establish supply chain and packaging capabilities for current and future medicines that require cold-chain management, including lecanemab.
LSIMF is a capital grants scheme designed to strengthen life sciences manufacturing capabilities in the UK and enhance supply resilience against future health emergencies.
The overall investment will help expand Eisai’s advanced manufacturing capabilities at the site in Hatfield, broadening its role beyond traditional oral solid dose operations to support the packaging and supply of temperature-controlled medicines for injection and infusion. Additionally, Eisai will be able to transition from reliance on external contract manufacturers to an in-house packaging model, enhancing supply stability and flexibility.
The investment includes facilities capable of handling temperature-controlled products, including the expansion of goods receipt and dispatch functions, construction of ambient and cold-chain warehouses, and installation of packaging buildings and packaging lines. The project is being implemented in multiple phases, with a total investment from Eisai of approximately £48 million.
Through this investment, the Hatfield site will strengthen its role as a global manufacturing hub serving multiple regions, including Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In addition, enhanced production flexibility, capability for multi-language and small-batch packaging, and advanced quality management will support Eisai’s global supply network.
