Theragent - CDMO Facility | Arcadia, CA

The construction of Theragent’s cleanrooms involved designing and installing an integrated cleanroom system, consisting of four pre-engineered, prefabricated modular “flex suites.” Each suite is equipped with 100% HEPA filtered air circulation units, integrated LED linear lighting, modular wall panels with uPVC finish, material and personnel airlocks, epoxy floors, and designated support space for disinfecting manufacturing products and purified water. All cleanrooms featured a walkable ceiling to help maintain the integrity of a cleanroom environment and to keep all mechanical and ventilation infrastructure accessible for inspection and maintenance.

The project included a 4-degree cold room, -80 degree and liquid nitrogen cryopreservation room, a gas utility room, a final release labeling room, and auxiliary storage space to store reagents, components, and kits. Three robust analytical labs for microbiological studies, quality control operations, and product development testing were also installed. The labs were designed to maximize natural light into the working environment and featured large exterior windows with floor-to-ceiling glass walls along the interior corridors.

The project also involved upgrading the exterior façade and site work for functionality and aesthetics to match the state-of-the-art ambience. Outside, in Theragent’s loading dock, notable additions to the exterior space include new boilers to support the mechanical systems, a standby generator, a liquid nitrogen tank, and storage facility for waste management. A new steel platform stands above the existing roof to support the new air handling units and equipment.

The early onboarding of overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) subcontractors gave the team a platform to coordinate and create a detailed plan to guarantee that all trades had appropriate access to stage their equipment before and after the walkable ceiling was placed. Building information modeling (BIM) information was exchanged and maintained in one location, including models, estimates, and design notes. By the time the team received the permit packages, the model was nearly clash-free and accelerated project construction to successful completion.

To keep the project on schedule, DPR leveraged virtual design and construction tools like laser scanning, 4D visual planning, and aerial capture to build efficiently and ensure safety. DPR also utilized “Dusty Robotics,” a robotic field printer, to print full scale models on the construction surface, based on CAD files of floor and wall layouts. This technology reduced errors, removed ambiguity from any work done by hand, and only required two people to monitor field progress.

DPR Construction worked proactively to prevent re-work and re-design of the laboratory and cleanroom utilities. The project team managed and shared a 3D model to identify all in-wall utilities in each room. After labeling all individual plumbing, electrical, communication, control, and lighting utilities, the team put mock-ups of the in-walls in each laboratory and clean room so future users could walk the site, inspect the conditions, and give feedback. After the first walk with the end-users, the team fine-tuned the exact location of each in-wall item. By the second site walk with the users, DPR received sign-off from the client confirming that all utility locations and heights matched their specifications. Together, DPR and Theragent ensured the construction project met all safety, quality, and productivity standards to deliver a world class research and manufacturing facility designed and engineered to produce therapies for patients around the world.