In 2019, the FDA directed United Therapeutics to increase production of Unituxin — a treatment for pediatric neuroblastoma — by 400%. The company needed a new commercial-scale GMP manufacturing facility on its Silver Spring campus, and the timeline was set by the urgency of patient need, not by construction convenience.

Heffron came on at the 35% design stage, absorbing existing scope and assuming design-build responsibility for all mechanical systems. The corner lot location in downtown Silver Spring left no room for staging. Multiple below-grade stories were excavated to accommodate mechanical systems within the building footprint. Value engineering throughout the process protected the budget without compromising GMP compliance. The facility delivered on schedule, and Unituxin reached patients.