Blood Money: Green Cross Invests $180 Million for Montreal Blood Plasma Fractionation Plant

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Reported by Annette Kreuger, Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Blood red is the new money green, if construction investment in plasma fractionation is any indication. Adding to a spike of construction activity in this industry segment, biopharmaceutical company Green Cross (Yongin, South Korea) has chosen Montreal, Quebec, for its new, $180 million plasma fractionation plant.

See below for a list of active reported plasma fraction projects, as found in Industrial Info's Pharmaceutical & Biotech Online Database.

Through newly formed subsidiary Green Cross Biotherapeutics, the company kicked off construction last month on the 107,000-square-foot facility.

When operational in 2019, the plant will be able to process up to 1 million liters per year of plasma products, including Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG). The global blood plasma products market grew to more than $30 billion in 2014, and is expected to top $38 billion in 2015, after growing at compound annual growth rate of about 10% over the last decade.

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood, a protein-salt solution in which red and white blood cells and platelets are suspended. Plasma, which is 92% water, constitutes 55% of blood volume. Plasma contains albumin (the chief protein constituent), fibrinogen (responsible, in part, for the clotting of blood) and globulins (including antibodies).

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IVIG was first used in 1952 to treat immune deficiency. Today, the clinical specialties using the largest amounts of IVIG are neurology, hematology, immunology, nephrology, rheumatology and dermatology. Other plasma products include albumin products to treat burns and clotting factor for bleeding disorders.

Invest Quebec helped seal the Green Cross deal with a $25 million commitment to help fund the project, which will be Canada's first commercial plasma fraction facility. The project team includes NFOE et associés architects, design engineers Laporte Consultants and construction manager Verrault Incorporated, all headquartered in Montreal.

Project ID	Project TIV	Project Name	Project Type	Status
300173220	$180,000,000	GRASSROOT BIOTHERAPEUTICS BLOOD PLASMA FRACTIONATION PLANT	Grassroot	Construction
300185615	$240,000,000	PLASMA PROTEIN FRACTIONATION PLANT ADDITION	Plant Expansion	Construction
300070134	$1,000,000,000	GRASSROOT BIOTHERAPEUTICS PLASMA PROTEIN FRACTIONATION PLANT	Grassroot	Construction
300188617	$100,000,000	BLOOD DERIVATIVES & PROTEIN THERAPEUTICS PLANT ADDITION	Unit Addition	Preliminary Design
300148548	$25,000,000	PLASMA PROTEINS PLANT EXPANSION PHASE II	Plant Expansion	Project Scope

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