Evotec SE announced that it has initiated the construction of its J.POD(R) 2 EU biologics manufacturing facility at the company’s Campus Curie in Toulouse, France. J.POD(R) 2 EU, Evotec's second innovative cGMP biomanufacturing facility, will employ Just - Evotec Biologics' cutting-edge technology that utilizes small, automated, highly intensified and continuous bioprocessing operations housed inside autonomous cleanrooms. J.POD(R) 2 EU will be the company’s first commercial biomanufacturing facility in Europe and is anticipated to deliver much needed capacity, flexibility and quality for biotherapeutic development and manufacturing. The construction of the company’s first J.POD(R) 1 US in Redmond, Washington is proceeding on schedule and will be fully operational in second half of 2021. With its wholly owned subsidiary, Just - Evotec Biologics, Evotec is ideally positioned to build the capacity required for the fight against COVID-19 and future pandemic threats delivering rapid, high quality outcomes. The company is supporting multiple projects against COVID-19, including partnerships with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United States Department of Defense. In addition to J.POD(R) technology, the company is building unparalleled data-driven scientific capabilities to meet future viral threats, which include fast discovery, optimisation and development of novel therapeutic agents. The build-up of J.POD(R) 2 EU will be supported with up to €50 million from the French government, the Occitanie Region, Bpifrance, the Haute-Garonne prefecture as well as Toulouse Métropole. The total investment hat Evotec plans to undertake is currently estimated at approx. €150 million. The company’s Toulouse site, the Campus Curie, was recently expanded through the acquisition of "Biopark by Sanofi." Evotec has been operating in France since 2015. Construction of the J.POD(R) 2 EU facility is expected to begin in second half of 2021 and is expected to be fully operational in 2023.