The 17,000 m² Genesis facility will be located at UCB’s Braine l'Alleud campus in Wallonia. It will house laboratories, production facilities and office space and is part of UCB’s plan to develop new gene therapy capabilities.
UCB awarded the contract to Besix in March and the building is expected to be operational in 2024.
Besix project manager Alexandre Duthoit said: “We are extremely proud that UCB has entrusted us with this complex project. We opted for methods that meet the company's priorities, combining the required high quality with a fast construction process, based on the use of prefabricated concrete elements, and of course high safety measures.
“UCB can count on Besix’s expertise, particularly in the construction of demanding buildings adapted to high-tech activities, to deliver the new facilities according to its expectations. We are very happy also to be contributing in our concrete way to UCB’s commitment to continuous innovation and laying a foundation for future success in gene therapy.”
The Genesis project is the latest in a number of pharmaceutical contracts undertaken by Besix and its affiliates. Subsidiary company Vanhout is currently building a new production facility and warehouse for CAR T-cell therapy cancer treatment on behalf of a global pharmaceutical firm in Zwijnaarde, Belgium.
Meanwhile Watpac, another Besix group company, is undertaking construction and commissioning of a new AU$800m vaccine and anti-venom manufacturing facility in Melbourne, Australia, on behalf of one of the world's largest influenza vaccine companies.
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