ImmunityBio says it is ‘incredibly committed’ to Dunkirk
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In 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously said, in relation to the Battle of Dunkirk, "Wars are not won by evacuation."
A special guest at a recent Dunkirk Town Board meeting referenced that quote in relation to Chautauqua County's own Dunkirk - rather than the famous French port in World War II. D'Arcy Furniss, Director of Human Resources at ImmunityBio, spoke of the commitment ImmunityBio has to follow through on its investment in the town of Dunkirk.
Supervisor Shari Miller introduced Furniss at the Town Board meeting to discuss the progress at the facility with residents of the town, in hopes of providing answers to the persistent question of, "What is going on with the former Athenex building?"
ImmunityBio took over the lease of the medical facility located at 3805 Lake Shore Drive East, Dunkirk, originally signed by Athenex, in February of 2022. Back in 2016, Athenex had promised to spend $1.5 billion over 10 years, hiring 450 employees, with 300 of them to be hired in the first two and half years. Instead, Athenex went bankrupt in 2023. A decade later, ImmunityBio is finally beginning to make good on the promises that Athenex failed to deliver on.
"I want everybody to know that we're incredibly committed to this community and the future of manufacturing operations within Western New York, in the town of Dunkirk," Furniss said.
Following major layoffs to employees after taking over the lease in anticipation of 12-18 months of construction, ImmunityBio's goal was to further develop the facility into a manufacturing plant for pharmaceutical production. Since taking over the facility, ImmunityBio has pushed forward with a multi-million dollar renovation to the interior of the facility, including knocking down walls and relocating equipment in order to meet the specifications for pharmaceuticals.
This year, the focus of ImmunityBio has been on fixing building deficiencies in order to put its "best foot forward when it becomes the time for us to manufacture," Furniss said. He believes that all building deficiencies can be addressed within the year, with a focus on installing its fill line in 2027. Manufacturing is expected to be operational by 2028.
At a virtual meeting earlier this year with members of the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), ImmunityBio Chief Executive Officer Richard Adcock acknowledged the frustration with how long it has taken getting the Dunkirk plant up and running. But while the process has taken much longer than expected from when Athenex first announced its intentions, ImmunityBio is on its way to becoming a major player in the local industry.
In the spring of 2024, ImmunityBio received official approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ANKTIVA, a treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. ANKTIVA, an immunotherapy drug, utilizes cells within the immune system to attack cancer once it is identified with small doses of chemotherapy.
ANKTIVA is used in combination with a secondary therapy to address bladder cancer, which is the 10th most commonly-diagnosed cancer globally. In 2024, the American Cancer Society estimated approximately 83,190 new cases and 16,840 deaths from bladder cancer that year, just in the United States.
Furniss said ImmunityBio is in "full commercialization mode" as a biotech company with ANKTIVA. The trials have been proven and approval for patient care has been received. Furniss called it an "incredibly significant milestone."
In recent months, 24 tractor trailer loads of highly specialized manufacturing equipment have been delivered to the Dunkirk site, custom designed in Italy. With the new state-of-the-art equipment, approximately 400 vials per minute can be produced.
"There has just been such a momentum behind the company that I have felt, in particular with Dunkirk. We are very much all-in and focused," Furniss said.
Furniss is one of ImmunityBio's newest hires, beginning in May. He settled in Elma, NY, after relocating from Ontario, Canada. "It's great to be here and meet everybody to get more acclimated in the town," Furniss said.
As part of its lease agreement, ImmunityBio must have at least 25 full-time employees by the end of the year. By the end of 2027, that requirement rises to 45 employees, and by the end of 2028, it must be up to at least 100 employees. Furniss believes that ImmunityBio is well on track to meet those goals.
"We're on track for a great head count," Furniss said. "We're bringing a lot of great, diverse talent to the area, and hiring even within the area."
Furniss has spoken with the CCIDA and SUNY Fredonia to build partnerships within the community, including internships to develop talent within the community. ImmunityBio is offering relocation packages to prospective employees, as well.
Members of the Town Board privately toured the ImmunityBio facility, and Supervisor Shari Miller called it "quite impressive." Several residents in attendance at the recent meeting expressed an interest in visiting the facility, as well. Furniss said he will look further into potential open house opportunities in the near future.
"You have our commitment to be able to succeed here," Furniss said. "I look forward to partnering with the community moving forward."