Parker Poe Consulting assisted AmbioPharm Inc. (API) on its plans to add 50,000 square feet under roof to its biopharmaceutical peptide manufacturing operations in Aiken County.

The $18 million investment in constructing and equipping two new buildings is expected to create 100 jobs over the next five years, the third wave of expansion the company has undergone at North Augusta Industrial Park since it opened there in a 10,000-square-foot facility in 2007.

The company also has a research and development operation in Shanghai, China, and has become a leading provider of peptides for use as active pharmaceutical ingredients in generic applications worldwide.

CFO Stephen Kiel says the support API has received from state and local economic development specialists and consultants continues to help the company accelerate its growth to meet client demands.