Asia Tech Wire (June 18) -- Chinese pharmaceutical company WuXi Biologics (2269.HK) is suspending the construction of its Worcester site in the U.S. amid the U.S. Biosecure Act fiasco, triggering market speculation.

In response to a question about the progress of the Worcester facility, WuXi Biologics replied that it was a normal internal adjustment within the company, just a pause.

The company did not respond to whether the move was related to the furor over the U.S. bill, but only said, "All bases have design adjustments during the construction process, which is normal operation."

In January this year, WuXi Biologics had announced that it would expand the manufacturing capacity of its Worcester facility to 36,000 liters.

At the time, the company expected this site to be fully operational by 2025, with GMP release in 2026

The U.S. Biosecure Act seeks to prohibit federal agencies from contracting with certain foreign biotechnology companies, including WuXi Biologics, and to restrict contracts with companies that use equipment or services from those companies.

This month, the Biosecure Act did not appear on the list of amendments to the latest National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.