FinVector scales global gene therapy manufacturing in Finland

In 2024, biopharmaceutical company FinVector inaugurated a 25,000-square-meter manufacturing facility in Kuopio, eastern Finland, significantly expanding production capacity and strengthening Finland’s position in the gene therapy sector.

“Business Finland played a key role in enabling this development, as well as increasing Finland’s attractiveness as a location for advanced manufacturing,” says Matthias Krieger, Managing Director of FinVector. “Its support has helped to accelerate the expansion of our production capabilities.”

FinVector is a global manufacturer of viral-based gene therapy products that treat patients with chronic conditions such as bladder cancer. The company’s growing role has also received national recognition, including a visit by President Alexander Stubb to its Kuopio site in November 2025.

Building capability through collaboration

FinVector was founded in 1993 as a spin-off from the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). Following its acquisition by the Swiss-based Ferring group in 2014, the company shifted from research-focused work to industrial-scale manufacturing.

“The transition enabled us to deliver one of the world’s leading commercial gene therapies to patients globally while building long-term operational capabilities in Finland,” Krieger says.

In the early stages, Invest in Finland and Business Finland provided both expertise on Finland’s operating environment and financial support, influencing the owners’ decision to invest. “It also strengthened our credibility in networks and increased recognition in the field,” Krieger adds.

Close cooperation with regional stakeholders has helped align investment, expertise, and long-term development. The City of Kuopio, together with local partners including UEF, has supported the company’s growth and anchored its operations within the regional ecosystem.

“What sets this environment apart is the combination of deep scientific know-how, operational expertise, and a highly committed, international workforce built over decades,” Krieger says. “The strong culture of collaboration and shared purpose would be challenging to recreate elsewhere.”

People, challenges, and long-term competitiveness

FinVector employs around 400 people in Kuopio, with approximately 20% of its workforce coming from international backgrounds. The company combines experienced local talent with global expertise, creating a multidisciplinary environment spanning scientific, operational, and international perspectives.

“What truly differentiates us is a highly skilled workforce united by a shared purpose,” Krieger says. This shared mission shapes the company’s work in gene therapy, where treatments directly impact patients with serious or treatment-resistant conditions.

Employees are driven by both scientific expertise and a strong sense of responsibility to deliver measurable outcomes.

“Our teams operate with a high level of precision, responsibility, and determination, often described in Finland as ‘sisu’, which is critical in cell and gene therapy.”
–Matthias Krieger, Managing Director of FinVector

The operating environment reinforces this approach. High levels of expertise, institutional trust, and long-term predictability support consistent execution in a highly regulated field. Teams are able to work in a compliant manner and efficiently, supported by a Finnish mindset often described as sisu – a focus on completing complex tasks with determination.

At the same time, operating in eastern Finland presents structural challenges. The availability of certain specialized services is limited, and attracting international talent to a smaller, geographically remote location requires sustained effort.

“The challenge is often not the employee, but their family,” Krieger explains, highlighting the importance of child education, employment opportunities for spouses, and overall quality of life in retention decisions.

A foundation for future growth

Having transitioned into a global manufacturing organization, FinVector is focused on sustaining its position. Its location in Kuopio benefits from strong scientific capabilities, a skilled workforce, and a predictable operating environment.

“Finland, with companies like FinVector, can remain at the global forefront when supported by Business Finland,” Krieger says.

For organizations considering Finland, the starting point is clear. “You need an anchor point. For us, it was the cell and gene therapy ecosystem. When that is in place, Finland offers the environment to build something meaningful and lasting.”

With therapies already reaching patients worldwide, FinVector’s development illustrates how Finland can serve as a platform for advanced manufacturing, innovation, and global impact.