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Celltechna, a Lithuanian company providing advanced gene therapy drug development and manufacturing services to pharmaceutical companies in Europe and the US, opened the first and only gene therapy centre in the Baltic States in Vilnius on Thursday. The expansion of the biotechnology city BIO CITY and the move into a new area, where two additional production centres are to be established, were also presented. This three-part project, consisting of 9 biopharmaceutical centres, is expected to attract around €7 billion in investment over the next decade. 

"The new Gene Therapy Centre will be another important piece in the puzzle of Bio City, Europe's largest life science and technology city. It promises us more precise treatments for genetic diseases, more advanced medicine and a better quality of life for our people. This is a precious investment in our health and the well-being of our country. "The opening of Celltechna makes us look forward to the future with hope and to an even greater contribution of life sciences to Lithuania's economic progress. At the same time, the entire biopharmaceutical sector must continue to attract investment, develop talent and create world-class innovations," said President Gitanas Nausėda. 

"The more intellectual and innovative solutions we have in Lithuania, the stronger we will be. Clearly, this is our future. It is great that we have such role models to show what heights can be reached in Lithuania," said Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 

"Lithuania's life sciences and biotechnology sectors are already enjoying success and competitiveness with the world's best, and I most warmly welcome the development of this project, which embodies the ambition to establish ourselves among the leaders in the field. I wish that Bio City will become a synonym of progress and a place where the brightest scientific talents and innovations will grow, creating exceptional scientific and economic value," said Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė. 

Minister of Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė emphasised that over the past years, our country's life sciences sector has established itself as one of the most dynamic in Europe. "The opening of the first gene therapy centre in the Baltic States is another step forward in developing a world-class life sciences infrastructure in our country. Many thanks to Northway for its leadership in this field and for developing Europe's largest biotechnology campus, which will contribute to the even faster growth of life sciences in Lithuania," said Ms Armonaitė. 

The opening of the Gene Therapy Centre in Vilnius marks an impressive milestone - the completion of the first building in the second part of the BIO CITY project. The 8,000-square-metre centre, already equipped with first-class, innovative equipment, has been built and furnished in just a year. 

The biotechnology city project, which will be the largest in Europe, consists of three parts - BIO CITY I, BIO CITY II and BIO CITY III. This unique biotechnology ecosystem will allow our country to strengthen its regional leadership in gene and cell engineering and to apply advanced scientific discoveries for the benefit of society. 

BIO CITY I: Beginning 20 years ago 

According to the creator of the project, Prof. Vladas Algirdas Bumelis, the vision of BIO CITY grew out of “Northway Biotech“, a company that was founded in 2004 and has been successfully operating in Vilnius ever since - a company that develops manufacturing technologies and produces innovative biological medicines. 

“Northway Biotech's” successful  biologics contract development and manufacturing facility in Boston, USA, aims for international leadership from 2020. Today, the Vilnius and Boston sites form part of BIO CITY I.   

BIO CITY II and BIO CITY III: Gene Therapy Centre and ambitious expansion 

Part II of the BIO CITY project starts with the Gene Therapy Centre. Around 50 million EUR has already been invested in the centre, partly financed by a loan from Citadele and NIB banks. It will employ a highly qualified team of over 100 people. 

"Celltechna established Gene Therapy Centre will be used for innovative gene therapy research and production of gene therapy components. "Gene therapy plays a key role in biotechnology. It opens up new perspectives for more effective treatment of diseases that until recently were considered untreatable. As we develop the potential of genetic engineering, we are also expanding and deepening our competencies - the basis of the knowledge economy. I believe that with the excellent conditions to work in Lithuania, our scientists and biotechnologists will create several significant breakthroughs and enable the life sciences industry to reach a new level of global leadership," said Prof. Vladas Algirdas Bumelis, founder of the Gene Therapy Centre. 

In addition to the Gene Therapy Centre, the BIO CITY II complex is planned to include a Large-Scale Mammalian ProductionCentre, a Gene Therapy Production Centre, a Life Sciences Industry Hub Smart Services Centre and a Biotechnology Innovation Centre by 2030. 

Part III of BIO CITY has already been planned and will be developed in the Vilnius City Innovation Industrial Park. It is expected to include an Innovative Centre for Cell, Tissue and Organ Engineering and 3D Bioprinting and a Large-Scale Microbial ProductionCentre. 

A long-term vision - €7 billion of investment and a large community of professionals 

The total project potential in Vilnius will include 2 research and experimental development centres and 6 production buildings. The BIO CITY space will grow to an area the size of 15 football fields. 

The investment in the entire biotech city is expected to reach around €7 billion over the next decade, which will result in several times higher returns for the national economy. A total of 2 400 people will be employed. 

Strengthening Lithuania's leadership in biotechnology 

The Centre's activities are focused on contract manufacturing services and research activities, which, according to Prof. V. A. Bumelis, ensure competitiveness and create value in all areas. Professor Bumelis is convinced that advanced biotechnologies, such as gene editing or cell therapy, are developing very rapidly, and Lithuania should be one of the leaders in this evolution. He notes that the development of a biotechnology city in Vilnius has opened up opportunities for new partnerships with innovative start-ups, research institutions and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.  

The Gene Therapy Centre consists of a complex of three buildings in total. The construction contract was awarded to the construction company "Naresta". "Biotecha", a company specialising in life sciences and pharmaceutical manufacturing, was responsible for the installation of the laboratories and the entire infrastructure.  

Currently, the life sciences industry accounts for around 2% of Lithuania's gross domestic product (GDP). The long-term strategy adopted by the Government of Lithuania aims to increase this share to 5 % by 2030. "Northway“  group’s BIO CITY project aims to make a significant contribution to this goal, helping to bring current performance closer to the goal. 

ABOUT THE GROUP 

"Northway" group is one of the Lithuanian biotechnology market leaders. The group's biotechnology cluster comprises 7 companies: five in Lithuania, one in the UK and one in the US. In the latter market, Northway is the largest biotechnology investor in the Baltic region. Together, these companies employ more than 200 professionals. The companies execute orders from international pharmaceutical corporations and biotechnology companies listed on the European and US stock exchanges. The main export destinations are Europe, North America and Asia. The company's scientists collaborate with renowned scientific institutions to develop biotechnology projects and innovations. 

For further information, please contact:

Vladas Bumelis, CEO and Chairman of the Board vladas.bumelis@northwaybiotech.com