CSL Plans $1.5B Expansion of Illinois Plasma Therapy Manufacturing Facility

CSL has announced plans to expand its plasma therapy manufacturing facility in Kankakee, Illinois, aiming to increase production capacity for plasma-derived medicines.

Related: UCB Invests $2B in New Biologics Manufacturing Site in Georgia

The $1.5 billion expansion will enhance the site’s ability to manufacture critical therapies derived from human plasma, including immunoglobulins, albumin and specialty proteins used to treat patients with rare and serious conditions such as primary immunodeficiencies, neurological disorders and bleeding disorders.

CSL first announced the $1.5 billion investment back in November.

According to CSL, the new project will lead to the generation of at least 300 jobs at the facility, adding to its 1,200-person workforce at the Kankakee site.

The investment is anticipated to contribute to the regional economy, reinforcing CSL’s presence in the US as a major hub for plasma fractionation and biomanufacturing.

The Australian company said the new investment adds to the $3 billion it has spent on its US operations since 2018.

“Behind every plasma-derived therapy is a person trying to live a more stable life, and donors who made that therapy possible,” said Gordon Naylor, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, CSL. “As the need for plasma-derived therapies continues to grow in the US and globally, expanding our Kankakee site further strengthens this key hub in our supply network. We thank our partners in government and our local community for supporting our mission to serve those who require these essential medicines.”

Plasma-derived therapies occupy a unique role in medicine, treating serious and rare diseases by using proteins found in human plasma, essential for functions like immunity and blood clotting, CSL explained in its press release. When these proteins are missing or malfunctioning, patients face life-threatening conditions requiring ongoing treatment.

Producing these therapies is complex and resource-intensive. A single patient may require plasma from hundreds or even thousands of donations each year. 

Human plasma cannot be synthesized; it must be carefully collected, tested and processed through a highly regulated, multistep system that includes protein separation, purification, viral clearance and formulation. This months-long process ensures safety and quality but cannot be rushed.

While many conditions treated with plasma-derived therapies are individually rare, says CSL, collectively they impact thousands of patients, including those with hemophilia, primary immunodeficiency and hereditary angioedema (HAE). 

Beyond rare diseases, plasma therapies also serve as life-saving standards of care in acute and emergency settings, such as trauma from car accidents, burns and shock, as well as critical maternal health conditions like postpartum hemorrhage.

CSL said the Illinois expansion will incorporate advanced technologies to improve operational efficiency, increase throughput and maintain high standards of quality and safety. The facility is a key component of the company’s global plasma manufacturing network, and the upgrades are expected to strengthen supply chain resilience while supporting long-term growth.

CSL said the Kankakee expansion will incorporate CSL’s Horizon 2 manufacturing process, a patented technology that enables enhanced yield and significantly greater production of immunoglobulin from the same base amount of plasma. 

“This industry-leading technology is designed to improve plasma efficiency and positions CSL’s US network to support sustained growth of the company’s lifesaving therapies,” CSL said in a press release.

The new expanded facility is expected to be operational by 2031. 

CSL appears to be accelerating investment in its plasma business following challenges in its vaccine division, CSL Seqirus.

Last summer, the company planned to spin off Seqirus as part of a cost-saving strategy, but in October, it paused the demerger, citing volatility in the US influenza vaccine market that could have limited the transaction’s value.