RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Tergus Pharma has officially moved into manufacturing as it gets set to open its new headquarters in Durham. And it promises more jobs are on the horizon.

The biopharma company, focused on topical drug development, is holding an invitation-only opening ceremony on May 13 to celebrate its new home – a 100,000-square-foot HQ and commercial manufacturing facility. It’s located on a 17-acre site at 4018 Stirrup Creek Road in Durham, just outside Research Triangle Park.

With the $35 million expansion, Tergus, which takes its name from the Latin term for skin, is now a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), providing services from development through commercial manufacturing.

Tergus’ new HQ (Tergus photo)

“This event marks a significant turning point for us,” says Tergus Pharma Chairman and CEO Vijendra Nalamothu, Ph.D.

The building houses Tergus’ corporate offices, three research and development laboratories, six commercial GMP manufacturing suites, six filling and packaging suites, and two dedicated HPAPI and hormonal suites.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, North Carolina Biotechnology Center President and CEO Doug Edgeton, and senior executives from Tergus are among those expected to participate in the site’s official “unveiling.”

More capacity, more jobs

The expansion, announced in 2019, is expected to bump the company’s production capacity by more than 400%. The site is capable of producing materials for Phases 1 through 3 clinical trials, and for commercial use.

It also promises more jobs. Tergus says it currently has 100 employees, and plans to add another 100 over the next three years.

Vijendra Nalamothu, Ph.D (Tergus photo)

 

Tergus is currently hiring for several positions, including process engineering, project management, research and development scientists, and several support functions.

Tergus, founded in 2012, provides topical formulation development, in vitro permeating testing, in vitro release testing, skin biology, analytical services, and clinical trial materials manufacturing services for branded and generic dermatology products.

The company had occupied a 20,000- square-foot space on Meridian Parkway in Durham.

“Tergus Pharma’s long-term vision in RTP is to become the largest topical drug product contract development and manufacturing company in the United States,” the company said in a news release.

Tergus says it is “working closely” with the state of North Carolina, the Durham Chamber of Commerce, and NCBiotech.

The expansion was financed through a partnership with Great Point Partners, a health care investment firm in Greenwich, Conn.

The companies did not disclose terms of the investment.

(C) N.C. Biotech Center