Merck & Co. has partnered with J&J to help manufacture its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine which recently received approval from the FDA. After discontinuing its own COVID vaccine development at the start of this year, Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside of North America) has formed a partnership with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to use its facilities to manufacture the vaccine and provide a fill-finish service. “Two of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world who are usually competitors are…

The addition of a plant in Liverpool, UK, from AbbVie will support ambitions in the biologics and cell and gene therapy space, says service firm Pharmaron. Chinese pharma services firm Pharmaron Beijing Co is set to pay $118.7 million in cash to AbbVie for its Allergan Biologics Limited (ABL) business, located in Liverpool, UK. AbbVie acquired ABL as part of its $63 billion acquisition of Allergan in 2019. The proposed sale – expected to go through in the second quarter…

CDMO Catalent has refuted claims that US rollout of the recently approved J&J vaccine has been slowed down by problems at its fill-finish facilities. Shortly after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot  vaccine making it the third authorized COVID vaccine  in the US, the Financial Times reported that Catalent is suffering production problems that “have contributed to the US government being set to receive millions fewer doses than it expected this month.” The British…

South Korean firm Alteogen has partnered with CDMO MilliporeSigma to develop and produce biotherapeutics and monoclonal antibody drugs. The collaboration will see MilliporeSigma (the life sciences business of Germany’s Merck KGaA) provide Alteogen with late-stage manufacturing services which includes developing and producing recombinant biologics for clinical evaluation. “This agreement supports large-volume subcutaneous administration of biologics that would otherwise be administered as an IV infusion,” said head of Process Solutions at Merck, Andrew Bulpin. “This advances Merck’s strategy of providing breakthrough,…

The FDA has approved J&J’s single dose COVID-19 vaccine (Ad26.COV2.S) paving the way for distribution in the US. Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) adenovirus type 26 COVID-19 vaccine with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) making it the third vaccine available to US citizens. “After a thorough analysis of the data, the FDA’s scientists and physicians have determined that the vaccine meets the FDA’s expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for the authorization…