A gene therapy manufacturing facility, among the most modern of its kind in the world, has opened in Kuopio
In 2022, one of the largest beneficiaries of Business Finland’s funding was FinVector Oy, which received a loan amounting to more than EUR 18 million. The funding was part of the company’s large-scale investment to build a new manufacturing facility specialising in virus-based gene therapy in Kuopio. The facility has now opened, and it will begin manufacturing production once it has received its official authorisations, which is expected to take place at the end of 2025 or early 2026.
FinVector is a pioneer in its field in the manufacture and development of virus-based gene therapy drugs. The new facility, which was opened in Savilahti, Kuopio, is among the largest and most modern in its field in the world.
FinVector manufactures Adstiladrin®, which is a targeted treatment for superficial bladder cancer. In December 2022, it received FDA approval and an authorisation for the US market. As a result of this achievement, the focus of the company’s operations has shifted from research and product development to commercial production.
Business Finland’s Invest in Finland provided us with valuable information about Finland’s strengths and competitiveness as a location for the pharmaceutical industry.
The production facility is a large international investment in Finland
FinVector is owned by Swiss Ferring Ventures S/A, a sister company of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, which owns the IP rights to the drug. Ferring Pharmaceuticals introduced a targeted treatment for the US market in late 2023. To support growth, the company began to plan a new production facility called Finport in Savilahti, Kuopio, at the turn of the decade. The production facility’s cornerstone was already laid in May 2022. Ferring Group has invested significantly in the development of the targeted treatment, and approximately EUR 300 million of the amount has been allocated to Finland and Kuopio.
Ferring Group has invested significantly in the development of the targeted treatment, and approximately EUR 300 million of the amount has been allocated to Finland and Kuopio.
The investment will have a large impact not only on Finland but also on Kuopio, as it has employed a significant number of people since the construction phase. FinVector also has the option to expand its production capacity within the new premises. In 2024, FinVector bought the plot of land of the current production facility and the adjacent piece of land from the City of Kuopio.
“At the beginning of the project, Business Finland’s Invest in Finland provided us with valuable information about Finland’s strengths and competitiveness as a location for the pharmaceutical industry. Business Finland's innovation funding has helped to further develop the company’s production process. We also appreciate the work that Work in Finland is doing as part of the Talent Boost programme,” says Jean-Frédéric Paulsen, Chair of the Board of Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Ferring Ventures S/A.
“The investment project has a large significance for Finland. This is an important step towards creating a hub of gene therapy excellence in Kuopio and building the ecosystem that will emerge around it. Business Finland’s various units, along with other Team Finland operators, have supported FinVector in order to obtain this investment for FinVector and Finland. We will actively help and support the company also with its future needs,” says Outi Tuovila, the company’s account lead at Business Finland.
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The production facility in Kuopio operates as a global centre of excellence for the Ferring Group. The investment will also strengthen Kuopio’s position as a significant centre of know-how in the pharmaceutical industry and gene therapy. “The strong foundation created by the University of Eastern Finland and the region’s knowledge- and research-intensive ecosystem focusing on the health sector has been crucial in enabling this project. Finport is a demonstration of how innovations can be realised. I am very proud of what we have achieved together with our partners and employees,” says Matthias Krieger, CEO of FinVector. |
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New talent is in high demand
In 2023, FinVector hired 171 new employees, doubling its staff compared to the previous two years. Just under a quarter of the employees have a foreign background, and the working language is English. The current group of more than 500 employees includes more than 50 different nationalities. Top professionals are always in high demand.
“This is a significant achievement, and we are happy that we have been able to attract experts from many fields to Kuopio,” says Tiina Bies, Human Resources Director at FinVector.
FinVector has used Work in Finland’s services to create networks and connections and to attract talent to Finland. The company needs high-level expertise and aims to find top professionals both from Finland and from the international market. However, competition for top talent is fierce.
“It would be important for the whole of Team Finland to work together in order to strengthen Finland’s country image as an interesting country to live and work in. We should pay attention to the needs of foreign experts and, in particular, their families. How could we streamline the processes related to entry and the start of work in Finland? Concrete examples include opening a bank account or obtaining a personal identity code,” continues Bies.
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