Deals, Development and Manufacturing

Eurofins DiscoverX partners with VelaLabs to enable VelaLabs to perform highly reproducible potency lot release assays under GLP/GMP conditions.

Under the agreement, ERS Genomics will license its gene-editing technology to Aelian Biotechnoloy to support its commercial functional genomic screening platform.

The companies are entering into a development and manufacturing collaboration for the advancement and production of human monoclonal antibodies for the potential treatment of novel coronavirus.

Takeda announced the acquisition after the conclusion of a Phase 1 study of the investigational medicine TAK-062 (Kuma062) for the treatment of uncontrolled celiac disease.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Life Sciences, aimed at raising awareness of the United Kingdom’s life sciences among parliamentarians and to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the sector, was relaunched on Feb. 27, 2020.

The partnership will begin in the second half of 2020.

Aprecia, which has an FDA-approved 3D-printed medication, will collaborate with Purdue’s College of Pharmacy to accelerate development in 3DP pharmaceuticals.

The companies aim to develop novel cell therapies for treating multiple cancers.

Through the agreement, Lilly will expand its immunology pipeline with lebrikizumab, Dermira’s novel, investigational mAb designed to bind interleukin-13 with high affinity.

The 135,000 square foot facility will be constructed over 18 months and is expected to be operational in 2021.

WuXi Vaccines, WuXi Biologics’ joint venture with Shanghai Hile Bio-technology, has signed a 20-year vaccine manufacturing contract with a global vaccine leader for $3 billion.

Sanofi will use a recombinant DNA platform that produces a genetic match to proteins found on the surface of COVID-19 to formulate the vaccine.

CMOs and CDMOs expanded their services and facilities in 2019 and early 2020.

Under the agreement, Roche will have access to Promedior's lead product candidate, PRM-15, a recombinant form of human pentraxin-2 that can possibly treat a range of systemic fibrotic diseases.

The companies have entered into a global licensing and collaboration agreement to commercialize ReForm excipients used in biotherapeutic formulations.

The Native Antigen Company has commercially introduced antigens that have been specifically derived from the Wuhan strain of novel coronavirus, now named Covid-19.

Through the agreement, Catalent will offer process optimization and drug substance manufacturing services for the drug candidate at its Madison, WI site.

Aimmune plans to introduce the antibody as an adjunctive treatment with its Characterized Oral Desensitized ImmunoTherapy programs to research treatment outcomes in patients with food allergies.

The knockout CHO K1 cell line will be used to support biotherapeutic R&D across a range of therapeutic indications.

Abcam has purchased Applied StemCell’s (ASC’s) gene editing platform and oncology product portfolio, adding comprehensive cell editing capabilities and engine to support expansion of existing “off-the-shelf” cell lines.

The partners will collaborate on developing scale-up chip-based technology to enable commercial-scale production of a third-generation DNA synthesis platform.

Otsuka will use PhoreMost’s phenotypic screening platform to identify new targets for drug development, with a focus on gene therapy.

The license gives Daiichi Sankyo access to ERS Genomics’ genome-editing technology for internal R&D initiatives.

Clinical manufacturing of the therapy will take place at Lonza's Houston, TX, and Netherlands cGMP manufacturing sites.

The new facility, to be operated under the newly formed CDMO, The Center for Breakthrough Medicines, will be located in King of Prussia, PA, and will increase manufacturing capacity for cell and gene therapies.

The new course is directed at analyzing the skills gap in the manufacture of cell and gene therapies as they progress toward manufacturing at scale.

The fully integrated, pre-qualified, pre-installed aseptic filling facility can be shipped globally for drug development and the manufacturing of personalized medicines and clinical trial supplies.

The new company will work to provide the manufacturing technologies and processes needed to develop and commercialize new cell and gene therapies through individual company products and expertise.

The agreement centers around the development of new stem-cell derived allogeneic T-cell therapies for the treatment of cancer.

The formation of the new gene therapy company stems from the progress and success of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s clinical manufacturing and gene therapy work.