BioBusiness

Shutting down the COVID-19 pandemic requires a global, selfless effort.

With the acquisition, Evonik will expand its life science division and its portfolio of functional excipients and biomaterials.

The company is investing in expansion at four sites in the United States, United Kingdom, and Italy, which will include construction of new facilities and addition of sterile and lyophilized filling lines.

The collaboration includes the development, commercialization, and supply of Orgenesis’ pipeline in South Korea and Japan and the development and commercialization of Cure Therapeutics’ pipeline on a global basis.

New data from CGT Catapult has demonstrated progression by the industry toward commercialization of therapies and an increase in GMP manufacturing space.

The collaboration addresses the need for risk mitigation plans in cell therapies.

eTheRNA Immunotherapies has entered into a strategic cooperation and product license agreement with China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings to form a new joint venture company, Nanjong AuroRNA Biotech.

The grant will support the advancement of glycoengineering technology for plant-derived proteins developed by a University of Alberta scientist partnered with PlantForm.

Wacker will support production of CureVac’s COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccine candidate at its biotech site in Amsterdam, with production scheduled to start in the first half of 2021.

The new super plant, being built in Incheon, South Korea, will have a total biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity of 256,000 L.

The agreement follows a recent announcement that Sartorius plans to invest $100 million in Songdo, South Korea’s bio cluster.

The Trump administration unveiled a new drug price control policy, drawing opposition from pharma manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers.

Bone Therapeutics has reported the completion of Catalent’s acquisition of Skeletal Cell Therapy Support SA (SCTS)—Bone Therapeutics’ cell therapy manufacturing subsidiary.

PhoreMost and Oxford Biomedica have entered into a discovery collaboration for the development of next-generation chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies.

Opposition to IP protection for COVID-19 vaccines, therapies, tests and other technologies may only prevent eradication and treatment of the disease.

The agreement will provide capacity for the manufacturing of AZD7442, currently being developed for the potential prevention and treatment of COVID-19, at Lonza's Portsmouth, NH site.

NanoMab Technology has signed heads of terms with a supplier of Tungsten-188/Rhenium-188 generators, OncoBeta.

Recent data, from BIA and Clarivate, has revealed that investment in UK biotech continues to be strong.

Optimus Holding has successfully completed the acquisition of OM Pharma.

Stringent patentability requirements present a challenge to obtaining broad-based antibody claims, so companies should develop a strategy based on multiple reinforcing layers of protection.

Catalent has unveiled investment plans to create a European center of excellence for clinical biologics formulation development and drug product fill/finish services.

A strong immune response by patients receiving two doses of AZD1222 vaccine suggests a possible dosing strategy for COVID-19 vaccine.

VAR2 Pharmaceuticals has been selected for its development of a drug-conjugated malaria protein that potentially selectively binds to most human tumor types.

The company now offers its CONFIDENCE virus clearance services to support validation of viral clearance processes.

Citing clinical trial data that hydroxychloroquine did not show benefits for COVID-19 patients, FDA removes emergency use authorization for the drug as a treatment for the novel coronavirus.