Bedford Manufacturer Becomes Organization’s Sixth Founder as NHLS Membership Reaches 75
This fall, NH Life Sciences (NHLS) reached 75 members, and PCI Pharma Services increased its support of the statewide industry association to the founder level.
PCI Pharma Services' Bedford campus, which recently completed a $100 million expansion, specializes in pharmaceutical development, sterile fill-finish and lyophilization, developing biologics and large molecules into phase-appropriate formulations and then sterile filling vials as either liquid or lyophilized, or freeze-dried drug products. It fills a specialized downstream role in New Hampshire’s life sciences supply chain.
"PCI Pharma is the premier sterile fill-finish site in the state,” said John Maravich, vice president and general manager of the Bedford location. “From my perspective, becoming a founding member of New Hampshire Life Sciences was an opportunity for PCI to play an active role in strengthening the state’s growing life sciences ecosystem. By collaborating with industry, academia and local stakeholders, we can help build the talent, innovation and infrastructure needed to support the development of life-changing therapies and drive continued growth across New Hampshire.
The recently completed expansions for adding new development laboratories and a state-of-the-art, high-speed, isolator-based vial-filling and lyophilization line. Maravich said that the Bedford campus currently employs about 390 people but expects to exceed 500 by next summer.
The hiring comes as NHLS members increasingly focus on developing a workforce pipeline for an industry where average wages are 79% higher than New Hampshire's overall private-sector average, according to NH Department of Employment Security data.
"We’re thrilled to welcome PCI Pharma Services as a founding member of NH Life Sciences at such an important moment for our state’s life sciences sector,” said Andrea Hechavarria, President and CEO of NHLS. “PCI’s presence, expertise and continued investment in New Hampshire are powerful examples of the growth and opportunity happening across our industry. As a founder, PCI will play an important leadership role in helping shape the future of New Hampshire’s life sciences ecosystem, and we’re excited to have them at the table as we build on this momentum together.”
Other new NHLS members include Vertex, a global biotechnology company innovating medicines for people with serious diseases and expanding its manufacturing operations in Portsmouth; Perimeter Systems, a global biosecurity infrastructure company; Cyclone Labs, a plasmid preparation and custom cloning specialist; Ventri Flo, creator of novel blood pumping systems; and Prolytix, a provider of bioanalytical services.
Each new member brings another capability, specialty or part of the life sciences supply chain into NHLS. As membership becomes more representative of the industry, the organization gains greater expertise and perspective on policy, workforce development and sector visibility.
Maravich said PCI Pharma Services' increased involvement also reflects the company’s desire to raise awareness of its Bedford operation and help strengthen New Hampshire’s identity as a life sciences destination.
“New Hampshire is a unique state; it's close to traditional biotech centers, but it's becoming its own biotech center,” he said. “It's such a key industry for New Hampshire, and New Hampshire is just realizing it. We have the ability to have a really positive impact.”
About New Hampshire Life Sciences (NHLS):
Established in 2023, NHLS is the statewide life sciences association, built by the industry, for the industry. Our mission is to foster growth and awareness of the life sciences industry in New Hampshire and to attract and retain world-class talent and innovation to the Granite State. New Hampshire's life sciences industry includes more than 500 companies across five major industry groups (medical device manufacturing, medical equipment/supplies, research and development, pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing and medical and diagnostic laboratories). In 2021, New Hampshire’s life sciences cluster contributed approximately $3 billion to NH’s gross regional product and $4.3 billion in sales.
About PCI Pharma Services
PCI is a world-leading CDMO providing clients with integrated end-to-end drug development, manufacturing and packaging capabilities that increase their products’ speed to market and opportunities for commercial success. PCI brings the proven experience that comes with more than 90 successful product launches each year and over five decades in the healthcare services business. The company currently has 38 sites across seven countries (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Australia), and over 7,500 employees working to bring life-changing therapies to patients.
Leading technology and continued investment enable PCI Pharma Services to address global drug development needs throughout the entire product life cycle – from manufacturing capabilities through the clinical trial supply chain and commercialization. Its clients utilize PCI as an extension of their business and a collaborative partner with the shared goal of improving patients’ lives. For more information, visit pci.com.