Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), an applied R&D organization based in San Antonio, TX, has opened its new Clinical Supply Facility (CSF). The 21,000-sq.-ft. lab adds dedicated suites and HEPA filtered cleanrooms to support pharmaceutical development and bioengineering research, particularly in advanced clinical supplies. 

The facility expands SwRI’s capability to conduct “Fill Finish” for capsules, sachets, tablets and other advanced formulations for all routes of administration. The facility will support the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, formulated products, and biologics or cell-based materials such as in vitro generated stem cells and vaccine components. 

“By expanding our biomedical footprint, SwRI reinforces our role as a leader in pharmaceutical development and bioengineering in San Antonio’s dynamic biomedical community,” said Darrel Johnston, director of Pharmaceuticals and Bioengineering at SwRI. “This means faster access to clinical supplies for startups, universities and biotech companies not only in our local community but nationally and globally as well.”

The facility is designed to streamline workflows to support everything from regenerative medicine to vaccines, small-molecule therapeutics and treatments for rare diseases. The new CSF aims to improve regulatory efficiency, refine quality systems and increase communication between scientists for faster turnaround times. 

The CSF also aims to reduce physical bottlenecks by serving as a one-stop shop for clinical supplies. It will include 4,200 sq.-ft. of ISO-rated production space along with 2,700 sq.-ft. of analytical support labs. The CSF offers controlled storage environments from room temperature conditions down to cryogenic laboratory conditions, and an on-site backup power generator to ensure uninterrupted critical operations and storage support.

SwRI is FDA- and DEA-inspected and follows all Current Good Manufacturing Practices.