Cologne, Germany, Mai 13, 2026. Bergisch Gladbach-based Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG currently provides innovative cell and gene therapies to around 6,000 people worldwide each year. Demand continues to rise, and with it, the need for production capacity. For this reason, the globally active biotechnology and biomedicine company, which has about 4,600 staff members worldwide, invests in the expansion of its site in Cologne. Miltenyi Biotec is completely renovating a building complex that was formerly used for pharmaceutical manufacturing and packing processes. It will be used for manufacturing reagents for clinical applications, under the company name of Cologne Clinical Products Miltenyi Biotec (CPMB). The project recently reached a key milestone when the process technology equipment was installed. The expert team of Drees & Sommer SE supports Miltenyi Biotec in this future-oriented transformation. The consulting firm focuses on providing advice in the areas of construction, real estate and infrastructure.

Since its establishment in Bergisch Gladbach’s Moitzfeld district in 1989, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG has developed into a leading player in Germany’s biotechnology sector. The company is committed to research into innovative cell therapies and is considered a pioneer, particularly in cancer immunotherapy and the treatment of tumor diseases using cell therapies such as CAR-T cells. Martin Meyer, Head of Clinical Production at Miltenyi comments: “Today, we have a portfolio with over 19,000 products, spanning from automated production systems, through to analysis and diagnosis tools, and clinical reagents.“ However, as he points out, demand is often higher than supply. “This is why, we completely renovate and modernize the entire building complex in Cologne. Our modernized facility will give us more space for the production of clinical reagents, based on the highest standards of quality,” he continues.

A Challenging Brownfield Site – Efficient Repurposing for Sterile Production Processes

The existing premises offer a floor area of around 12,000 square meters, of which 5,000 square meters on the ground floor are used for the production of clinical reagents. In addition, construction includes personnel airlocks in the basement and two floors for technical use on the first and second floor, as well as approximately 430 square meters of office space.

“Brownfield projects such as this one pose a particular challenge for us because we have to redesign existing spaces to meet the requirements of their new use. At first, we analyze what can be preserved from the existing infrastructure and used in future as well,” explains Harald Gräfe, manager and expert for pharmaceutical buildings at Drees & Sommer.” In Cologne, for example, parts of the building shell, the structural framework and selected cleanroom ceilings will remain in place. Anything that can no longer be used will be replaced or supplemented with state-of-the-art technology within the existing building structure. This includes sophisticated cleanroom conditions for sterile production processes and a digital infrastructure that connects and monitors all processes. The manager adds: “We also integrate the strict regulatory requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice, or GMP, into the building design and technology right from the start,” GMP comprises a broad set of regulations that ensures clinical reagents are manufactured under controlled, reproducible and verifiable conditions. These include defined cleanroom categories, controlled flows of materials and people, hygienic surfaces, and the obligation of seamless documentation.

Drees & Sommer’s project team provides several services, including project management, technical project controls, digital GA audit as commissioning controls, and building information modeling (BIM) management. BIM planning connects all planning, construction and operational processes that can be represented in a centralized digital building model, known as the digital twin of the building. “Structured BIM management enables a trackable and quality-assured project handling. This increases the transparency across teams and helps maintain process efficiency at all stages of the project,” explains Sebastian Sebold, specialist for BIM solutions at Drees & Sommer.

Innovative Energy Concept for Climate-Friendly Production

Besides the technical tools, energy supply plays a major role in the future viability of the site. The new approach to energy focuses on a decentralized structure rather than the previous centralized supply system. Harald Gräfe points out: “In future, high-temperature and ultra-high-temperature heat pumps will be used at this location. These can provide both process heat up to two hundred degrees and steam, with high energy efficiency.” Energy consumption and the emission of carbon dioxide will be decisively lower than before. “This delivers climate-friendly production on an industrial scale,” he adds.

The Future of Biotechnology Made in Germany

For Miltenyi Biotec, the expansion of the Cologne facility is a strategic step toward global competitive strength: “Germany has the chance to position itself as a leading biotechnology nation in the coming years, next to the US and Chinese markets. Through the CPMB project, we are doing our part to get closer to this goal, making therapies ‘made in Germany’ available to significantly more patients worldwide, more quickly and more cost-effectively,“ says Martin Meyer. Commissioning of Miltenyi Biotec’s fully modernized production facility is scheduled for end-2026.