Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Daily Archives

Three-way consortium aims to optimize biologics development

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Valitacell, Solentim and Microcoat have teamed up to advance in-line productivity assays to speed up biologics’ development with a €3.5 million grant. In February, Irish biotech Valitacell partnered with biomanufacturing instruments firm Solentim to transform current workflows using a streamlined, automated platform to drive the earlier identification and accelerate development of biologic candidates. The consortium will bring together Valitacell’s ValitaPIX technology with Solentim’s instrumentation to create a system enabling the automation of data-driven analysis and selection of top clones during…

March 27, 2019

Pfizer takes 15% stake in gene therapy firm Vivet

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The deal, worth a potential $636 million, will help accelerate Pfizer’s adeno-associated virus (AAV) directed gene therapy portfolio, the firm says. Emerging French biotech firm Vivet Therapeutics has a gene therapy pipeline based on its adeno-associated virus (AAV) technologies with lead candidate VTX-801 preparing to enter the clinic as a potential treatment for Wilson disease. The firm will now benefit from support from Pfizer after the Big Pharma firm paid around €45 million ($51 million) to acquire a 15% equity…

March 27, 2019

CDMO Masthercell boosting capacity and adding 150 jobs at Belgium plant

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Months after doubling capacity at the Gosselies site, Orgenesis has announced further plans to expand its CDMO Masthercell too feed the demand for cell and gene therapies. Late last year, contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Masthercell unveiled a wing with five cleanrooms at its site in Gosselies, Belgium, which it said effectively doubled its cell therapy production capacity. Four months on and the firm’s parent company Orgenesis has announced another expansion at the site having signed a lease on…

March 27, 2019