All
Gates Foundation Invests $40 Million in Immunotherapy Collaboration
The collaboration with Immunocore, a T cell receptor company, aims to discover and develop immunotherapy molecules to treat infectious diseases.
Aplagon and Cadila Collaborate on Anti-Thrombotic Biologics
The partners will develop a lead anti-platelet, anti-coagulant (APAC) product for treating blood vessel wall injury. Clinical trials are set for 2019 in India.
Wuxi Medical Instrument Factory Receives FDA Warning Letter
Validation and batch testing failures were among the violations found by the FDA at the company’s Jiangsu facility.
Manufacturers Seek Strategies for Ensuring Quality of Innovative Therapies
Continued industry investment in advanced biologics will raise further regulatory challenges and require innovative manufacturing systems.
FDA Approves Amgen’s Avastin Biosimilar
The approval marks the first biosimilar approved in the United States for treating cancers.
EMA Recommends Approval of Herceptin Biosimilar
European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use grants a positive opinion for the approval of the biosimilar for treating breast cancer.
Fujifilm Opens New $9-Million Cell Culture Labs in UK
The new 10,000 ft2 of laboratories will be dedicated to the company’s monoclonal antibody platform, which enables rapid access to development and manufacturing capacity.
Glass Vials for Biologic Injectables
Bormioli Rocco Pharma, an Italian supplier of glass and plastic packaging, has launched its Delta-molded, type 1 glass vials in North America.
Lonza, Portola Pharmaceuticals Sign Manufacturing Agreement
Lonza and Portola Pharmaceuticals have entered into a supply agreement for AndexXa (andexanet alfa), a recombinant protein used in patients on FXa inhibitors who experience a major bleed or need urgent surgery.
Experts Set a 10-Year Roadmap for Optimizing Lyophilization
Focused around Purdue University’s LyoHUB, a new blueprint aims to bring innovation to equipment and processes. One goal? Continuous freeze drying.
FDA Panel Votes Unanimously to Approve GSK Shingles Vaccine
Shingrix represents a new, possibly better alternative to existing treatments.
FDA to Fund Manufacturing Research Programs at NIPTE
The agency will offer $35 million in funding over the next five years, on research that aims to modernize manufacturing and quality assurance and control (QA and QC) practices.
Bayer Partners with Berkeley Lights on Automated Biological Workflow
Bayer will use Berkeley Lights’ platform of nanofluidic chips that automate biological workflows, including cell-line development and antibody discovery and engineering.
Riboxx Completes GMP Manufacture of Ligand for Immuno-Oncology Therapeutics
The German biotech company can now supply its proprietary ligand on a GMP industrial-scale for clinical applications in immune-oncology.
FDA to Promote Continuous Manufacturing
The agency is looking for industry input on best practices for continuous manufacturing.
Alexion Restructures, Moves Headquarters, Closes Facilities, Cuts Jobs
Alexion’s restructuring will reduce its global workforce by 20%, including closing a manufacturing facility in Rhode Island.
PPS Appoints New COO
Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS), part of Piramal Enterprises, has appointed John Fowler as its COO.
AAPS Announces 2017 Foundation Fellowship Winners
AAPS has announced the five graduate students awarded with a $10,000 fellowship for their research efforts in global health solutions.
HTG Molecular Diagnostics to Complete FDA Filing for Gene Assay
HTG, a company that provides molecular profiling services, expects to complete submission of its premarket approval application to FDA for an in vitro gene assay by 2018.
US Gov’t Partners with Summit Therapeutics on New Antibiotic
BARDA has awarded Summit, a drug discovery and development company, a contract worth up to $62 million over five years for the development of a new small-molecule antibiotic.
J&J Terminates Hep C Collaboration with Achillion
J&J’s Janssen ends a 2015 collaboration with Achillion Pharmaceuticals with a strategic decision to discontinue further development of a hepatitis C therapy in favor of pursuing hepatitis B therapeutics.
Ventria to Double Biomanufacturing Capacity
The biopharmaceutical company broke ground on what will be a new 3000-ft2 addition to its Kansas biomanufacturing facility.
Lilly to Cut 3500 Jobs, Aims for $500 Million in Savings
The pharma major anticipates an annualized cost savings of roughly $500 million starting in 2018 based on a significant reduction in its global workforce.
Scripps Confirms QC Mechanism that Protects Protein Production
Scientists at Scripps’ Florida campus showed for the first time that quality control steps exist in the production of proteins, which presents a target for anti-cancer drug development.
Merck KGaA Considers Sale of Consumer Health Business
As Merck KGaA continues its strategic shift into a science and technology company, it is considering options for its Consumer Health business, including a potential sale.
Merck KGaA Completes $788-Million Divestment of Biosimilars Business
Merck KGaA completes the divestment of its biosimilars business as part of its strategy to focus on developing a pipeline of innovator drugs.
Merck & Co. to Buy German Immuno-Oncology Firm in Nearly $560-Million Deal
With this acquisition, Merck gains a lead anti-tumor drug candidate and a proprietary technology that can potentially induce immediate and long-term anti-tumor immunity.
Roche Recalls Three Lots of Activase on Sterility Issues
Roche’s subsidiary, Genentech, issued the voluntary recall of the anti-stroke drug because of compromised vials containing sterile water that were packaged with the drug.
FDA Clears Pfizer’s ADC for Leukemia
Pfizer’s Mylotarg, an anti-body drug conjugate once voluntarily withdrawn, returns to the market under a new dosing regimen for treating leukemia.
GE’s Thawing Technology for Delivering Cell Therapies
The VIA Thaw CB1000 from GE Healthcare offers thawing for large volumes of cell therapies cryopreserved in cryo-bags for research laboratories.