On March 20, 2026, AstraZeneca announced its plans to establish a commercial cell therapy manufacturing base and an innovation center in Shanghai. This initiative aims to enable comprehensive end-to-end cell therapy capabilities within the Chinese market.
Key components of the investment:
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Commercial Manufacturing Base: AstraZeneca will build a dedicated supply base in the Lingang New Area of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. The facility is designed for the commercial production of autologous CAR-T cell therapies serving China and other Asian markets.
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Core Product Focus: The site will support the supply of AZD0120, a dual-target BCMA/CD19 CAR-T cell therapy currently undergoing clinical trials for multiple myeloma and autoimmune diseases.
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Gracell Innovation Center: Additionally, the company will establish the AstraZeneca Gracell Cell Therapy Innovation Center in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park. This center will cover early-stage research, viral vector and plasmid development, analytical testing, clinical manufacturing, and regulatory support.
This move underscores AstraZeneca’s commitment to localizing cutting-edge medical technologies, streamlining the delivery of advanced oncology and immunology treatments to patients.
Source: https://www.contractpharma.com/breaking-news/astrazeneca-to-invest-in-shanghai-innovation-center/