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Solentim and ATUM team partner for cell line development service

The collaboration brings together instrumentation with expression technology to create what the firms say is “the most efficient cell line development solution for biotherapeutic drug developers yet.” The collaboration – financials of which have not been divulged – aims at overcoming the bottlenecks in biomanufacturing by establishing and isolating the most suitable cell lines for a drug candidate. The combined offering will appeal to “pharmaceutical and biopharma companies wanting to shorten their cell line development timelines and make sure they…

Sanofi turns to high titer E. Coli platform in AbSci deal

by Dan Stanton

The SoluPro E.coli manufacturing platform will be applied to two of Sanofi’s biologic candidates under a partnership deal with AbSci. Financial details of the deal have not been divulged, but the French Big Biopharma firm will use AbSci’s SoluPro expression platform on two of its molecules. The work will be undertaken at AbSci’s facilities in Vancouver, Washington, USA. According to AbSci, the platform can accelerate the time it takes to get new drugs to market through ultra-high titers of soluble,…

Selexis and Agenus expand immune-oncology cell line deal

by BPI Staff

After an initial collaboration in 2015, Selexis has signed commercial license agreements with Agenus to develop research cell banks for additional antibody programs. In 2015, clinical-stage immuno-oncology firm Agenus selected cell line development firm Selexis to collaborate on its lead anti-CTLA4 (AGEN1884) and anti-PD1 (AGEN2034) programs. Four years on and the firms have extended the deal to include the use of Selexis’ SUREtechnology platform with additional novel single agent and combination therapies. “Under the expanded collaboration, Selexis will continue to…

Lack of large M&A not for the lack of trying, says Merck CEO

by Dan Stanton

Robust competition and a lack of willing sellers has stifled Merck’s M&A ambition, but CEO Ken Frazier says with valuations coming down possibilities are being created. Large mergers and acquisitions have dominated the start of 2019: Takeda has completed its $62 billion (€54 billion) takeover of Shire, Bristol-Myers Squibb is set to merge with Celgene in a $74 billion deal, and Eli Lilly has bought Loxo Oncology (albeit for a relatively low $8 billion). Therefore, it was no surprise that…

JPM 2019: Lilly buys Loxo, Pfizer’s biosimilar bundle and $22 coffee

by Dan Stanton

The 37th JP Morgan Healthcare Conference took place this week. If the extortionate hotel prices kept you away, then BioProcess Insider you some of the highlights from San Francisco. It’s that time of year again where investors and healthcare executives flock to San Francisco for four days of dealmaking, financial forecasting and – if rumors are to be believed – intense partying. If other commitments and the decision not to take out a second mortgage (some hotel rooms reached $30,000…

BMS $74bn Celgene deal to create ‘number one oncology franchise’

by Dan Stanton

The acquisition of Celgene will boost Bristol-Myers Squibb’s commercial portfolio and clinical pipeline and create synergies of $2.5 billion, the firm says. The new year has started with an M&A bang, with pharma giant Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) announcing its intentions to acquire its immune-oncology partner Celgene in a deal valued at $74 billion (€65 billion). According to Giovanni Caforio, CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb, four value areas drove the merger. The first is creating leading franchises in oncology, immunology and inflammation…

Business must harness tech and innovation to thrive, says new Locate Bio CEO

by Dan Stanton

Biotech must work at the frontiers of biology and innovation while operating in a highly regulated environment says business development expert Nick Staples, the new CEO of Locate Bio. UK-based cell and gene therapy firm Locate Bio has had a reshuffle at the top, hiring veteran biopharma business executive and industry analyst Dr Nick Staples as CEO. BioProcess Insider spoke with Staples to find out his vision for Locate Bio, and how best to manage the often conflicting business and…

Novartis bids to buy its French CAR-T CDMO

by Dan Stanton

Novartis has made an offer to buy its manufacturing partner CELLforCURE. If accepted, Novartis will add a facility in Les Ulis, France to its CAR-T network. Novartis announced it was working with CELLforCURE in July, transferring its chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell production technology to the French contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) from its site in Morris Plain, New Jersey. Less than six months on, the Swiss pharma giant has made an offer to buy “the share capital of…

Novartis teams with Chinese drugmaker to enter insulin biosimilars space

by Dan Stanton

Novartis division Sandoz has partnered with Chinese manufacturer Gan & Lee to bring biosimilar insulins to the US and EU. The agreement will see China’s Gan & Lee supply Sandoz with insulin glargine, lispro and aspart products for use in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes for commercialization in Europe and the US, along with other key markets. “After conducting a significant review, Sandoz decided to collaborate with Gan & Lee, the third largest insulin distributor headquartered in…

The year’s biggest questions: Insider’s 2018 quiz

by Dan Stanton

How many of the big 2018 news stories do you remember? Try BioProcess Insider’s quiz and have a great Christmas and New Year. Are you a bioprocessing expert or a newbie to this industry? Eitherway, our funtime festive fiesta of a quiz can help you swot up on the industry. See how much of the news from 2018 you remember and we will see you in 2019. Who knows what will take place next year, but you can be assured…