Therapeutic Class Archives - Page 17 of 53 - BioProcess InternationalBioProcess International

Cryoport strikes second acquisition in a week with $320m MVE buy

The addition of cryogenic freezer systems firm MVE Biological Solutions will boost Cryoport’s position in the temperature-controlled cell and gene therapy logistics space. Cryoport, a temperature-controlled supply chain services firm for the life sciences, has agree to buy MVE Biological Systems for $320 million with the deal expected to close by the end of the year. MVE is a subsidiary of Chart Industries and will bring Cryoport a greater presence in the cell and gene therapy services space, broadening its…

Cold play: Cryoport buying temperature-controlled logistics firm CRYOPDP

by Dan Stanton

The €49 million ($58 million) deal ups Cryoport’s logistics services, filling out its global offering to support cell and gene therapies as well as other life science functions. French logistics firm CRYOPDP has over 220 employees in 22 global facilities across 12 countries, supporting the life sciences industry through temperature-controlled logistics products and services. The all-cash €49 million transaction, expected to complete in the next two months, will see the firm incorporated into Cryoport, expanding the firm’s global footprint and…

Agilent predicts $750 million global oligo market by 2025 and ups capacity

by Gareth Macdonald

Agilent Technologies has announced plans to more than double nucleic acid-based drug production capacity at its facility in Frederick, Colorado. The research, development and manufacturing company said it will invest $150 million to add 25,000 square feet of capacity. Agilent cited the growing market for “oligos” as the driver for the investment, predicting it will grow in double digits and be worth more than $750 million by 2025. Sam Raha, president of Agilent’s Diagnostics and Genomics Group, said, “Adding this higher-volume…

CureVac’s IPO hauls in $213m as mRNA COVID-19 vaccine test nears

by Frank Vinluan

CureVac is playing catch-up to its messenger RNA (mRNA) peers in the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, but the company contends its technology could offer dosing advantages, and it now has $213 million in IPO cash to fund the human tests that could support that claim. CureVac has sold more than 13.3 million shares for $16 apiece, the high end of its projected $14 to $16 per share price range. According to its IPO prospectus, the Tübingen, Germany-based company also raised…

Charles River boosts cell therapy offering with $38m Cellero buy

by Dan Stanton

The addition of cellular product supplier Cellero will complement last year’s acquisition of HemaCare says Charles River Laboratories. In December 2019, contract research organization (CRO) Charles River Laboratories expanded its services into the cell therapy space through the $380 million acquisition of HemaCare. The deal brought Charles River human primary cells as well as a core offering of leukapheresis – the separation of white cells from blood samples. Fresh from the purchase, Charles River said it was eyeing up further…

Passage: ‘Dedicated gene therapy suite gives us supply chain control’

by Dan Stanton

Manufacturing of GM1 gene therapy candidate PBGM01 from a dedicated suite at CDMO Catalent will begin by the end of the of the year, says Passage Bio. In July 2019, Passage Bio announced it had contracted Paragon Bioservices – fresh from its $1.2 billion acquisition by Catalent – to build a dedicated suite at its Harmans, Maryland facility to produce its AAV-delivered gene therapies for its monogenic central nervous system diseases; specifically GM1 gangliosidosis. GM1 is a rare monogenic recessive…

Staying single: Lilly looks to optimize antibody manufacturing for COVID-19

by Dan Stanton

Eli Lilly is testing several antibodies in its efforts against COVID-19 but says a monotherapy, if successful, would help optimize manufacturing. Eli Lilly has several potential therapies in the clinic attempting to take on COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus. But speaking during the firm’s second quarter financial call last week, chief scientific officer Dan Skovronsky said the two programs he is most excited about are virus neutralizing antibodies for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 are…

Merck betting on ‘swish-and-swallow’ and single administration COVID vaccines

by Dan Stanton

A recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-based COVID-19 vaccine may be active when administered orally, says Merck as it begins clinical manufacture from facilities in Pennsylvania. Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside North America) entered the battle against COVID-19 relatively late, inking a triumvirate of deals in May. Two of the programs focused on vaccine development, one of which – a collaboration with non-profit research organization IAVI – is expected to begin clinical studies in the next few months. The program,…

Base editing firm Beam licenses Oxford Biomedica’s vector tech

by Gareth Macdonald

Beam Therapeutics has licensed use of Oxford Biomedica’s Lentivector platform for the development of CAR-T therapies. Under the deal Beam can use the platform – a lentiviral based gene delivery system – for its cancer cell therapy programs. Oxford will also supply Beam with vectors for use in clinical trials for three years. Beam paid Oxford an undisclosed fee and has agreed to make further payments for vector supply. The UK firm will also receive royalties from the sale of…

GSK confident traditional vaccine tech has major role in COVID-19 efforts

by Dan Stanton

The headline-makers in the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine are not the traditional firms, but GSK says its proven adjuvant approach will set its offering apart. During GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK’s) second quarter financial call, an analyst from Wolfe Research pointed out the vanguard of COVID-19 vaccines were not being developed and made by the big three traditional vaccine firms: GSK, Merck & Co., and Sanofi. Chinese efforts aside, the frontrunners dominating the media coverage are AstraZeneca/University of Oxford’s effort based…