Moderna says it will know whether its current mRNA vaccine protects against the Omicron variant within two weeks. Discovered in South Africa last week, the B.1.1.529 variant – named Omicron – has become a concern in the fight against COVID-19 due to its large number of mutations. “[There are] at least 30 in the spike protein alone, with nine of them known to be associated with immune escape and another 11 predicted to be associated with immune escape. You bring…

COVID-19 established mRNA vaccines as an effective therapeutic option and – says a technology expert – has set the blueprint for how they will be made for the foreseeable future. Developers were working on mRNA-based medicines before 2020 with Alnylam’s polyneuropathy treatment Onpattro (patisiran) being one of the first such therapies to win approval. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a period of rapid growth for the market – particularly mRNA vaccines – that shows little signs of slowing according to…

Heavy investment in R&D and manufacturing capabilities is driving the Swiss advanced therapy space but challenges including the skill-deficit still exist, says consultancy firm Coulter Partners. As interest in cell and gene therapies (CGTs) grow, certain hubs are arising globally. Philadelphia’s ‘Cellicon Valley’ and Texas both come to mind, but across the pond Switzerland has been subject to numerous investments and the sector is blossoming. “Switzerland remains a highly attractive location for biopharma in general, due to the fiscal situation,…

With a robust biosimilars pipeline and an increasingly large footprint, Amneal is preparing to invest in biologics manufacturing capabilities. Amneal Pharmaceuticals has developed and commercialized numerous small molecule drugs and generics but according to the Indian press the firm is on the verge of entering the biomanufacturing space with a greenfield biologics plant in Ahmedabad on the cards. The interest in biologics was confirmed by Amneal spokesman Anthony Di Meo, but he said plans have not been finalized. “In terms…

COVID-19 disrupted cell and gene therapy trials as well as the contractors and suppliers that support them, according to experts. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, impacted all parts of biopharma. For example, the focus on vaccines highlighted manufacturing capacity limitations while increased demand for consumables and raw materials put pressure on suppliers. The pandemic also disrupted R&D to the extent that some developers put projects on hold according to Amelie Boulais, head of market entry strategy at Sartorius, who…