FinVector pioneering cancer treatment, opens new facility

FinVector, a leading biopharmaceutical company, recently opened a state-of-the-art production facility to manufacture gene therapy products in Kuopio, Finland. The new Finport facility is set to become one of the world’s largest facilities for manufacturing these drugs and it is a major milestone for both FinVector and Finland’s healthcare ecosystem, advancing cancer treatment and offering hope to patients globally. NIB had the privilege of visiting the inauguration of the new facility as one of the financiers.

Gene therapy is a promising frontier in medicine, with ongoing research focusing on its application in treating a wide range of conditions, including cancer, genetic disorders and infectious diseases.

A global hub in the Finnish Lakeland

You might think that nestling in the heart of Finland, about 400 kilometres north of Helsinki and surrounded by lakes and forests, Kuopio would not be the most international city. However, the atmosphere here is anything but. FinVector employs over 500 professionals of more than 50 nationalities, creating a vibrant global community in this lakeside city. The company’s ability to attract international talent reflects its pioneering position in the biotech industry, where innovation thrives through collaboration across borders.

Founded in 1993 by Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, FinVector has deep roots in Finland’s academic community, maintaining strong ties with the University of Eastern Finland. This connection is part of a broader research-intensive healthcare ecosystem in Kuopio, where collaboration between the public and private sectors has proved the key to success.

The significance of the ecosystem was on full display at Finport’s inauguration event, where representatives from the company, academia, local decision makers and other key stakeholders gathered to celebrate the opening. Speeches during the ceremony highlighted the importance of partnerships between research institutions, industry and the local authorities.

Factories within the factory

At the core of Finport is its production floor, where the complex process of manufacturing gene therapy drugs takes place. The facility spans 25,000 square metres, including 1,400 square metres dedicated to production, alongside office spaces, meeting rooms and a restaurant. The building’s design reflects the precision required in gene therapy manufacturing, so production lines are isolated and strictly monitored to maintain cGMP standard conditions, ensuring safety and efficacy at every stage.

Built with an innovative approach, the facility was first planned around the needs of production, with the walls constructed later. As we toured the facility, we learned about the complexity of the process behind the thick doors and glass windows. Manufacturing these cutting-edge medicines takes several weeks, from the initial growth of cells—microscopic factories that cultivate viruses used in the treatments—until the freezing of the produced drug substance.

And the final product? Life-saving treatments like Ferring Pharmaceuticals’ Adstiladrin® (nadofaragene firadenovec-vncg), the first and only US FDA-approved gene therapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This therapy gives patients a chance to combat cancer with fewer life-altering surgeries and side effects.

Boosting the economy and local ecosystem

Healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry not only improve individual lives but also drive economic growth. As Finland’s biopharmaceutical industry continues to grow, FinVector exemplifies how healthcare innovation can drive local economic development. The construction of the Finport facility has so far created jobs and fostered a functioning ecosystem that includes research, manufacturing, and business.

In his speech at the inauguration, Petri Peltonen, Under-Secretary of State for Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and an alternate member of NIB’s Board of Directors, reflected on the topic when he brought greetings from the Finnish Government.

“Finland is a biotech country, and our industry history stems from the forest biotech sector, which is our core industry, even today. But the other end of the biotech sector is pharmaceuticals, and FinVector is a great example of this materialising. We need both, but the pharmaceutical industry can provide high-value products that can drive and renew our economy.”

Growing this sector requires significant investment, from basic research to full-scale production. Over the last five years, NIB has supported the healthcare sector in the Nordic-Baltic region with more than a billion euros in signed loans, including a EUR 45 million loan to FinVector in 2023.

Jean-Frédéric Paulsen, Executive Chairman of Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Ferring Ventures S/A, emphasised the importance of NIB’s support.

“The funding granted to FinVector by the Nordic Investment Bank has been important to Ferring Ventures S/A in realising our ambitious project in Kuopio.  Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers globally. With the growing capacity, FinVector will be able to deliver precision medicine to an increasing number of patients in need in the United States”, said Paulsen, adding that “The building, Finport, has a provision for increasing additional production capacity in the future.”

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