Bayer, the pharmaceutical titan, has announced a $250 million investment in a Berkeley, California-based cell therapy manufacturing facility. This move aims to further Bayer's dedication to groundbreaking cell therapies and enable global patient access to this novel treatment. This follows efforts by BlueRock Therapeutics, a subsidiary owned completely but operating independently by Bayer. They are currently clinically testing bemdaneprocel, a potential cell therapy for Parkinson's Disease treatment, according to a Bayer report.

The establishment of this new facility is Bayer's recent attempt in the continuous effort to repurpose its dedicated biotechnology site in Berkeley. Bayer has funneled approximately $500 million into this site to focus on biopharmaceutical manufacturing innovations over the past five years. The intended use of this new facility is to support the production of clinical trials material and potentially commercially launch BlueRock Therapeutics', bemdaneprocel, and future cell therapies.

"This new facility will ensure that our investment in cell therapies can benefit patients worldwide," says Stefan Oelrich, member of Bayer AG's Board of Management and President of the company’s Pharmaceuticals Division. He considers cell therapies to be promising to treat diseases differently through either targeting their root cause or enabling the human body to restore vital functions.

"Manufacturing is an important element in taking the biopharmaceutical sector’s pipeline of cell and gene therapies from the lab to patients. This facility will enable Bayer to play a critical role in achieving that," according to Holger Weintritt, Executive Committee Member of Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division and Pharmaceutical Division's Product Supply Head of Bayer AG.