Moderna has appointed executive search firm Russell Reynolds to find Tal Zaks replacement as he steps down from his position as CMO. Meanwhile, there are high level changes at ReForm Biologics and Daiichi Sankyo. Zaks has been chief medical officer (CMO) of Moderna for six years. Now with its first approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, Zaks will step down from his position in late September though it is unknown where he will embark on the next leg of his career. Moderna’s…
Merck & Co. will add a pipeline of precision immune modulators and a drug design and discovery platform through the proposed acquisition of Pandion. The deal, announced today, will see Merck & Co. pay $60 per share in cash for the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based firm, totalling roughly $1.85 billion. Pandion is developing therapies for the tissue-specific treatment of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and organ transplants. Its lead candidate, bispecific antibody PT101, is in early-phase clinical trial for ulcerative colitis…
Having its own plasmid DNA capabilities will launch Catalent into areas like mRNA and non-viral gene delivery, the CDMO says. Catalent has entered into an agreement to buy fellow contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Delphi Genetics, adding – if the deal goes through – a plasmid DNA (pDNA) platform and supporting production services from preclinical to Phase III. The deal, financial details of which have not been divulged, will also bring Catalent a 17,000 square-foot facility in Gosselies, Belgium,…
Lakes BioScience has received permission to begin building a £350 million biomanufacturing facility at a site in Ulverston, UK, currently owned by GSK. Last week, South Lakeland District Council granted permission for Lakes Bioscience, a recently formed biomanufacturing firm, to build a new facility on GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) site located on North Lonsdale Road, Ulverston, Cumbria. Lakes BioScience director, Pat McIver told BioProcess Insider it is investing £350 million ($490 million) to build a new site which will produce monoclonal antibodies…
Ensoma emerges with Series A funding and a collaboration deal with Takeda for its vector-delivered treatments. Ensoma was backed in its Series A financing by 5AM Ventures and Takeda, amongst other investors, with $70 million (€57 million). Takeda’s investment occurs alongside an exclusive worldwide license to develop Ensoma’s ‘Engenious’ vectors for up to five rare disease indications. The agreement includes a potential $100 million investment in upfront and preclinical research payments. Should the candidates progress past the preclinical stage, Ensoma…
CDMO IDT Biologika will expand its site in Dessau, Germany through a joint investment with AstraZeneca to support the latter’s COVID-19 vaccine. AstraZeneca has signed a letter of intent with contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) IDT Biologika to help produce its COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222. Details of the agreement are yet to be finalized, but production of the vaccine is expected to begin at IDT Biologika’s site in Dessau, Germany from the second quarter 2021. However, both companies plan to invest…
The proposed acquisition of Cognate BioServices will bring services firm Charles River Laboratories autologous and allogeneic cell therapy, plasmid DNA and viral vector manufacturing capabilities. The agreement announced yesterday will see Charles River pay $875 million in cash for the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO). Through the deal, Charles River has propelled itself into the manufacturing space, entering a lucrative cell therapy and plasmid production market. “The addressable market for Cognate’s CDMO services principally cell therapy and plasmid production…
Kenneth Frazier will step down from his position as CEO of Merck & Co. and hand over to CFO Robert Davis. Meanwhile, there is high level changes following allegations of inappropriate behavior at Eli and Lilly. Frazier has been CEO of Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside North America) since 2011 and has worked at the firm for almost 30 years. Frazier reflected on the announcement during Merck’s Q4 financial report last week. “It has been a distinct honor…
Catalent signs agreement with Trizell, Thermo Fisher Scientific partners with JW Therapeutics and Aruvant chooses Lonza to manufacture a sickle cell gene therapy. Lovely to have you here for BioProcess Insider’s CGT services round-up. First up in our cell and gene therapy (CGT) services round-up is Catalent, which recently confirmed an agreement with Trizell to support the manufacturing of Trizell’s Phase I therapy to treat micro and macroangiopathies. The firm’s therapeutic is an advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) which uses…
Gilead has partnered with Gritstone to develop an HIV-specific therapeutic vaccine in a deal worth up to $725 million. Gilead will pay $60 million when the deal closes, but could pay Gritstone up to $725 million if the option is exercised and commercial, clinical and regulatory milestones are achieved.  “Gilead and Gritstone are partnering together to test the ability of Gritstone’s vaccine platform to stimulate T cell (immune) responses against HIV,†a spokesperson for Gilead told BioProcess Insider. “This approach may have the…