PerkinElmer acquisition Sirion Biotech has partnered with the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona, Spain to develop adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for type 1 and 2 diabetes. Viral vector-based gene therapy firm Sirion (acquired by PerkinElmer in June 2021) will use its AAV technology platform alongside international biomedical research center CRG’s knowledge of genetic regulatory mechanisms. The goal of the partnership is to create AAV vectors that target specific pancreatic cell types and contain payloads that express therapeutic genes…

Through the acquisition of DNA design and production services firm e-Zyvec, Polyplus will expand its plasmid DNA vector engineering offerings. The French biotech would not disclose any financial details of the deal but told BioProcess Insider the acquisition “critical to execute Polyplus’ portfolio diversification strategy by acquiring plasmid DNA (pDNA) engineering capability that will provide synergies to our customers in terms of process efficiency.” Polyplus claims to be the market leader in transfection reagents for gene therapy viral vector manufacturing and through…

BioProcess Insider had the pleasure of figuratively sitting down with Catalent’s chief operating officer Alessandro Maselli who is set to succeed John Chiminski as CEO effective July 1, 2022. If you know anything about the contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) space, you know about John Chiminski. He joined Catalent in 2009 and has since led the firm through a period of evolution – taking it from a traditional softgel and small molecule service provider to a strategic partner working across…

Through the acquisition of Vibalogics, Recipharm will expand its advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) offering into virotherapies. The deal, of which financial details have not been disclosed, sees Swedish contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) Recipharm acquire Vibalogics, a virotherapy CDMO. According to Recipharm, the deal expands their capabilities in biologics modalities and Vibalogics’ knowledge in viral vaccines, oncolytic viruses, and gene therapies will provide the firm with diverse technologies. “We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues from Vibalogics to…

Immunity Bio has leased a recently built US manufacturing facility from Athenex as part of an effort to expand its manufacturing capacity. The facility in Dunkirk, New York houses ISO Class 5 clean rooms for upstream and downstream manufacturing, as well as fill and finish and large-scale freeze-drying capabilities. Under the deal Immunity Bio will provide contract manufacturing capacity at the facility to Athenex. The lease agreement will see Immunity Bio pay Athenex $40 million according to reports in the…

The collaboration will study the application of eTheRNA’s mRNA and LNP-delivery platforms to disease areas picked by Germany’s Merck. The research collaboration will target messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics using eTheRNA’s mRNA and lipid nano particle (LNP) technologies in various model systems. If successful, mRNA encoding antigens will be nominated by Merck KGaA relevant for human diseases. “eTheRNA has developed a platform of differentiated mRNA capabilities clinically proven to modulating the dendritic cell-T-cell interactions that are at the heart of all…

The deal sees CDMO Resilience support the development and manufacture of Takeda’s plasma-derived medicines portfolio from its site in Ontario, Canada. Reporting on its third quarter FY2022 at the beginning of this month, Takeda posted revenues of 363.2 billion yen ($3.2 billion) from its plasma-derived therapy (PDT) immunology division, up 10% year-on-year and driven by immunoglobulin and albumin sales. The firm also told stakeholders it is undergoing a strategy to increase plasma supply and manufacturing capacity by more than 65%…

Resilience subsidiary Ology Bioservices has been awarded a $250 million contract by the US DOD to develop a monoclonal antibody as a medical countermeasure to botulinum neurotoxins. Under the terms of the deal, Ology Bioservices (acquired by San Diego-based contractor – National Resilience in April 2021) will advance the medical countermeasure (MCM) to the US Food and Drug administration (FDA), which will then be manufactured at commercial scale with stock distributed for military use. The firm’s site in Alachua, Florida,…