Eisai Co., Ltd. – Pilot Plant

Eisai Co., Ltd. (formerly Morphotek) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. The award-winning building was designed for the production of biologics to support early-stage clinical trials. The project involved master planning, architecture, and engineering design services for the 60,000-sf cGMP pilot plant to support manufacturing of advanced therapeutics. The use of BIM software enabled advanced coordination, team communication, and project organization.

The project began with demolition of three existing buildings and construction of the new facility, which includes the pilot plant, laboratories, and office space. Integrated architecture and engineering yielded a facility that marries form and function. A unidirectional circulation and viewing corridor maximizes building area dedicated to production. A mechanical catwalk rings the production core and provides access to all building systems for ventilation and maintenance. Dual fixed and disposable technology offer flexibility in manufacturing. Natural light permeates most of the building, including office and laboratory areas. The building offers 85.2 percent efficiency, with full systems redundancy, and enables complete segregation of production spaces in the event of a failure or contamination.

Sustainable design and operational features of the project resulted in LEED Gold Certification, and the project was recognized as an ISPE Facility of the Year Sustainability Category winner. The plant is 30 percent more water efficient, 33.2 percent more energy efficient, and offers a 90 percent more efficient HVAC system compared to a standard pharmaceutical facility. A rooftop solar array includes 330 photovoltaic panels that generate enough annual electricity to power six U.S. houses for a year.

The award-winning project was completed $3 million under budget in 18 months.

Images © Don Pearse Photographers, Inc.