WSPA: SC pharmaceuticals company says they’ll be ready to fill COVID-19 vaccines in 2021

LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC (WSPA) — With a potential COVID-19 vaccine looming, one South Carolina company said they’ll be able to fill vaccines next year.

According to Nephron Pharmaceuticals CEO and Founder Lou Kennedy, the company is in the midst of a $215 million expansion. They are adding new office and new warehouse space. The investment will also create more than 380 jobs the company said.

The expansion also includes vaccine production space. Kennedy said once completed, they’ll be able to fill COVID-19 vaccines at their facility.

“We’re actively looking for the right partner that will produce and we’ll fill the vaccine. We’re speaking with people throughout the federal government and Department of Defense to find the right partner,” Kennedy said.

Tuesday, the company held a beam raising ceremony to celebrate their expansion. Kennedy said she expects to have the vaccine production space completed by March 2021.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the FDA has not approved a COVID-19 vaccine for distribution. However, preliminary reports on vaccines from Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc. show their vaccines have at least a 90% effectiveness rate.

Kennedy said they are anticipating a medical grade glass shortage because of the high demand for the vaccine. She said they have the ability to work around that. “Our option will be to put the vaccine in plastic. We have the technology and the capability.”

Under the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (SCDHEC) statewide vaccine plan, front line medical personnel and nursing home residents will be some of the first South Carolinians to get doses of an approved vaccine. They anticipate vaccine supply will be limited to start off, but Kennedy hopes they can help alleviate that.

She said, “We’re right in tandem with the research work and the clinical trials that are going on. We’re trying to time that perfectly for the vaccine filling side of it.”

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