Deal-Making Archives - Page 38 of 59 - BioProcess InternationalBioProcess International

WuXi on board for Tychan’s yellow fever mAb

Wuxi Biologics will manufacture supplies of Tychan’s developmental yellow fever biologic for clinical trials. The drug in question – known as TY014 – is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody. It targets the envelope (E) protein on the surface of the yellow fever virus and prevents replication by limiting fusion to host cells. Earlier this month Tychan announced it had successfully completed Phase IA/IB safety studies. The firm also said it received regulatory approval to test the drug in a field study…

Biolife buys CBS, turns focus on integrating cold-chain acquisitions

by Gareth Macdonald

Biolife Solutions says cold storage tech firm Custom Biogenic Systems (CBS) is likely to be its last acquisition for a while as integration will be the focus in 2020. The US cell and gene therapy tool firm announced the deal this week, citing CBS’ portfolio of liquid nitrogen lab freezers and cryogenic equipment as well as its design and manufacturing capabilities as motivations. CBS CEO, founder, and sole shareholder John Brothers received $11 million (€10 million) in cash and $4…

Horizon Discovery divests animal model biz to focus on cell lines

by Dan Stanton

Envigo will acquire the rodent model business from Horizon Discovery for an undisclosed fee. The unit brought in £4.6 million ($5.9 million) of revenues in FY18. All assets and employees working at Horizon Discovery’s in vivo research model facilities in Boyertown, Pennsylvania and St Louis, Missouri, will be transferred to contract research organization (CRO) Envigo for an undisclosed nominal consideration satisfied in cash. “In vivo employs 46 people and generated £4.6 million in fiscal year 2018, and contributed an adjusted…

Mesa Labs picks up Gyros in $180m bio QC deal

by BPI Staff

Swedish immunoassay and peptide synthesis firm Gyros Protein Technologies has been acquired by Mesa Laboratories in a deal worth $180 million (€163 million). Colorado-based quality control instruments and consumables firm Mesa Laboratories says it is increasing its presence in the discovery, development and manufacturing of biotherapeutics through the acquisition, adding Gyros’ immunoassay platform. “We completed a business combination (the “GPT Acquisition”) whereby we acquired the common stock of Gyros Protein Technologies Holding AB (“GPT”), a company whose business provides Immunoassay…

Aspen alert! Novartis buys assets for $330m in Japan boost

by BPI Staff

Novartis division Sandoz has acquired the Japanese business of Aspen Global Incorporated (AGI), bolstering its biosimilar and generics presence in the region. South African pharma firm Aspen Holdings opened the Japanese subsidiary Aspen Japan K.K. in May 2015, with an aim bring its oncology, immunosuppressant, anti-inflammatory, hypertension, and anticoagulant products to the market. Today, Sandoz, the generics and biosimilar division of Swiss Biopharma firm Novartis, has announced it will pay an initial €300 million ($330 million) to buy shares in…

Cognate buys Cobra to boost gene therapy CDMO capabilities

by BPI Staff

Cell therapy CDMO Cognate Bioservices will add plasmid DNA and viral vector capabilities through the acquisition of Swedish manufacturer Cobra Biologics. Memphis, Tennessee-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Cognate has entered into an agreement to acquire Cobra for an undisclosed fee, led by existing Cognate investor EW Healthcare Partners. The deal adds to Cognate’s presence in the regenerative medicine space by bringing on board plasmid DNA and viral vector manufacturing capacity and expertise, complementing its own autologous and allogeneic…

LBPs for gene therapies: Thermo Fisher inks deal with another Bamforth biz

by Dan Stanton

Thermo Fisher has invested in Mark Bamforth’s latest venture Arranta Bio and will access live biopharmaceutical products (LBPs) for use in gene therapy production. Thermo Fisher has a profound relationship with biopharma pioneer and Ampersand Capital Operating Partner Mark Bamforth. Bamforth’s contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Gallus BioPharmaceuticals was acquired by the Patheon in 2014, and in 2017 Patheon was picked up by Thermo Fisher for $7.2 billion (€6.5 billion). Then earlier this year, Thermo Fisher expanded its CDMO…

Amgen takes $2.7bn stake in BeiGene to up presence in China

by Dan Stanton

Amgen will look to commercialize several of its biologics and advance 20 oncology candidates in China as it acquires roughly 20% of local drugmaker BeiGene. During Amgen’s third quarter 2019 financial call this week, CEO Bob Bradway noted his firm’s excitement of having recently launched its first product in China – cardiovascular disease monoclonal antibody Repatha (evolocumab). “We expect this to become an important market for us through time,” he told investors. Days later, and the biopharma firm has struck…

Avacta teams with ADC Therapeutics on Affimer conjugates

by Gareth Macdonald

Avacta Group and cancer drug developer ADC Therapeutics SA have entered into a collaboration agreement. The partnership – financial terms of which were not made public – will develop drugs combining ADC Therapeutics’ pyrrolobenzodiazepine-based cytotoxic warheads with Avacta’s Affimer targeting platform. ADC Therapeutics will cover all Avacta’s costs during the project. The firm also has the right to obtain exclusive licenses to the Affimer proteins for clinical development and commercialization. Matt Vincent, Avacta’s VP of Therapeutics Business Development, told us:…

Cesca and HealthBanks jump on the CAR-TXpress in cell banking JV

by Gareth Macdonald

Cesca Therapeutics and HealthBanks Biotech say their cell processing tech and banking JV will target CDMOs and immunology researchers. Under the agreement Cesca’s subsidiary ThermoGenesis will grant the newly formed joint venture – to be called ImmuneCyte Life Sciences – an exclusive license to its CAR-TXpress technology. The system is used to isolate blood components in a cGMP compliant manner. According to Cesca it is 16 times more efficient than ficoll gradient centrifugation-based cell processing methods. In addition to offering…