Portsmouth OKs Drug Maker’s Expansion


The interior of Lonza Theraputics' current Portsmouth facility. Photo courtesy of Lonza Theraputics.

Lonza Theraputics, a pharmaceutical company based at Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, received permission from the city’s Planning Board to move ahead with an expansion of its facilities.

“Lonza is pleased by the city of Portsmouth’s decision to let us move ahead with our plans for expansion. Depending on market conditions and customer demand, we will look to grow our biologics capabilities,” site head Herve Berdou said in a statement.

The company asked for permission to build a 132,000-square-foot building and to daylight a stream running underneath the site. The board granted Lonza permission to do site preparation and drainage work and construct the new building’s shell. However, the company must update its traffic study and return to the Planning Board for permission to fit the building out.

The company has plans for two future buildings on the site at 150,000 square feet and 62,000 square feet, plus two 4-story parking garages.