Delpharm acquires assets of Dr. Reddy's Research and Development B.V., formerly OctoPlus
Delpharm expands its pharmaceutical development services with the acquisition of Dr Reddy's Leiden development center in the Netherlands....
Gland Pharma buys Cenexi for 120 million euros
Gland Pharma has announced, through its wholly owned subsidiary Gland Pharma International PTE, Singapore, that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of Cenexi Group for an equity value not exceeding 120 million euros (enterprise value of 230 million euros)....
The Management led by Eric Goupil gathers a consortium to acquire Unither Pharmaceuticals from Ardian
The consortium comprises GIC and IK Partners, entering the equity, as well as Keensight Capital and Parquest, reinforcing their existing positions. It will become the new shareholder of Unither Pharmaceuticals alongside the management team...
Aenova: strategic investments in new technologies
"With strategic investments of more than 250 million euros and a focus on technological innovation and differentiated technologies, Aenova is well positioned to meet the regulatory requirements and technological needs of our existing and new customers", explains Jan Kengelbach, CEO Aenova Group.
Generic drug makers face sharp rises
in energy costs
If generic drug makers do not get aid in the face of soaring energy costs and potential shortages this winter, there could be production stoppages, the European Union of Generic Medicine Manufacturers warned in a statement open letter to the European Commission...
Unither Pharmaceuticals inaugurates new production workshops at its Coutances site
Unither Pharmaceuticals acquires the largest production capacity of sterile ophthalmic single doses in the world. The world leader in ophthalmic single doses also celebrates its 20th anniversary...
NextPharma to Acquire Takeda's Manufacturing Site in Asker, Norway
NextPharma has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of the Takeda manufacturing site in Asker, Norway. With the closing of the transaction which is expected in March 2023 approximately 170 manufacturing employees will transfer to NextPharma.
CDMO CEOs:
Visions and strategies for 2022 and after
For its September issue, PHARMAnetwork has asked the CEOs of major CDMOs in Europe and the US to give their reactions to this crisis and its (first) consequences for the strategy of their groups...
LTS LOHMANN Therapie-Systeme AG acquires Tapemark Inc.
LTS LOHMANN Therapie-Systeme AG has announced the closing of the acquisition of Tapemark Inc. located in St. Paul, MN, USA. Founded in 1952, Tapemark's first service offering was printing on self-wound tape. As an early leader in pressure-sensitive adhesives, Tapemark expertise evolved to include single-use medical and personal care products.
Siegfried begins construction of new large-scale production plant in Minden
Siegfried has celebrated the start of the construction of its new large-scale production plant in Minden, Germany. The planned production plant, for which Siegfried will invest up to CHF 100 million, is the largest building project in the company's history
Catalent to Acquire Metrics Contract Services for $475 Million
Catalent, Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire Metrics Contract Services, a full-service specialty Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization with a facility in Greenville, North Carolina, for $475 million from Mayne Pharma Group Limited.
PCI Pharma Services increases its production capacity for high potency products
PCI Pharma Services announces a significant expansion of world-class facility in Tredegar, Wales, UK, targeted oncology therapies.
WuXi Biologics' ambitious investment plan
for the next 10 years
WuXi Biologics has announced a 10-year USD$1.4 billion (S$2 billion) investment plan to expand the company's research, development, and large-scale drug substance and drug product (DS/DP) manufacturing capacity and capabilities in Singapore.
Alliance Pharma
Acquires Drug Development Solutions
Alliance Pharma, a U.S. leader in small and large molecule bioanalytical services in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry has closed the purchase of Drug Development Solutions (DDS) from LGC. Ampersand Capital Partners and KKR & Co. Inc.
Solvias has acquired Utrecht, Netherlands-based Cergentis
The acquisition bolsters Solvias' platform of biologics and cell and gene therapy (CGT) testing solutions.
KBI Biopharma SA and Selexis SA inaugurated their new state-of-the-art facility in Geneva
The KBI and Selexis co-location will expand biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing capabilities to serve the global demand for novel therapies.
Lonza will invest CHF 500 million in fill and finish facility in Stein
Lonza plans to construct a large-scale commercial drug product fill and finish facility in Stein to support customers across the entire product life cycle
Fujifilm to invest $1.6 billion
in cell culture manufacturing
FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation, invest $1.6 billion to enhance and expand the cell culture manufacturing services. This investment will enhance FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies' sites in Hillerød, Denmark, and Texas in the United States.
Vetter's newest clinical manufacturing site
With the realization of the first successful customer fills, Vetter has reached another milestone at its new clinical manufacturing facility in Rankweil, Austria.
Almac Group announces plans
for £200m global expansion
Almac Group reported its highest ever end-of-year results for revenue, profit and re-investing all profits back into its business
Evonik to build $220 mln U.S. production site
for mRNA lipids
German chemicals group Evonik is building a new, highly flexible, global-scale production facility for pharmaceutical lipids, winning considerable U.S. government backing for the $220 million investment.
Pfizer to sell all its patented drugs at nonprofit price in low-income countries
Pfizer Inc will make all of its patented medicines including COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid and big-selling breast cancer drug Ibrance available at a not-for-profit price to 45 of the world's poorest countries...
PCI Pharma Services is investing $100 million
for its Bedford, New Hampshire site
Following PCI's acquisition of Lyophilization Services of New England, Inc. (LSNE) in December 2021, the expansion plan calls for a facility of over 4,600 square meters.
Lonza to support ALSA Ventures' portfolio companies
Lonza has entered into a five-year cooperation agreement with Alsa Ventures, an international life science investor focused on novel therapeutics. With this agreement, Lonza will provide development and manufacturing services for biologics and small molecules, including high potency active ingredients, bioconjugates and new molecular formats, to Alsa Ventures' portfolio biotech companies.
Astorg has acquired the CDMO Corden Pharma
from ICIG
Established in 2006, CordenPharma today employs more than 2,600 people in 11 manufacturing facilities and one R&D laboratory located across Europe and the US. CordenPharma achieved a turnover of more than 750 million euros in 2021.
South Africa's Aspen COVID-19 vaccine plant risks closure after no orders-executive
Africa's first COVID-19 vaccination plant, touted last year as a trailblazer for an under-vaccinated continent frustrated by sluggish Western handouts, risks shutting down after receiving not a single order, a company executive said
Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing
invests $160 Million
Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing has signed a multi-year contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. department of Defense. GRAM will invest $160 million and receive $120 million from the U.S. government to fund the expansions of its filling and finishing facilities.
Aenova invests in new building for the production of highly potent drugs
The global high potency active pharmaceutical ingredients market size is expected to reach USD 38.84 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.4% from 2021 to 2028. The market is driven by an increased focus on targeted therapies and a surge in demand for cancer therapies.
Germany is securing vaccine production
WACKER and CordenPharma to produce mRNA vaccines
Germany plans to spend up to 2.861 billion euros to ensure that COVID-19 vaccine makers have enough production capacity available to supply the country with shots in future outbreaks through 2029, the economy ministry said.
Catalent expands biologics capabilities in the UK and across Europe
Catalent acquires from Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Center UK Limited (VMIC Ltd.), a biologics development and manufacturing facility currently under construction near Oxford, UK
Exothera S.A. achieves GMP certification for its facilities in Jumet, Belgium
Exothera extends its facilities by a further 2,100 m² production bringing the total capacity to 8,600 m² for viral vector development and manufacturing.
KeyPlants, one of the pioneers
of the concept of modular installations
for the pharmaceutical industry.
The pharmaceutical industry and in particular CDMOs are investing in new vaccine production facilities with modular solutions offering speed, flexibility and predictability.
Rentschler Biopharma and Vetter:
a Successful Strategic Collaboration
Rentschler Biopharma and Vetter unveil Xpert Alliance, a joint visualization of their strategic collaboration.
Societal CDMO: Bringing Science to Society
When CDMOs change names
Recro Pharma, Inc., a CDMO dedicated to solving complex formulation and manufacturing challenges primarily in small molecule therapeutic development announced, this week, that it is changing its name to Societal CDMO, Inc.
Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB
Signs Manufacturing Agreement with Lonza
Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB, an oncology-focused specialty pharmaceutical company, and Lonza, have signed a large-scale manufacturing agreement for the main drug intermediate in the supply of clinical material for its investigational drug candidate, Cantrixil.
RECIPHARM: How we're delivering sterile
fill & finish capacity fit for the future
Dr. Claus Tollnick, global head of sterile fill & finish operations at Recipharm, explores the challenges facing the sector in meeting present and future sterile filling requirements, and explains the steps Recipharm is taking to address them at its site at Monts, France
ANJAC Santé & Beauté
acquires Pillar5 Pharma Inc.
Founded in 2009, Pillar5 is a Canadian CDMO specialized in the production of sterile ophthalmic solutions and solid forms (tablets, capsules, etc.).
Aenova's investment strategy for 2022 to 2025
Aenova plans to increase its capacity in the area of solids, sterile technologies for pre-filled syringes, filling and finishing of vaccines and processing of biologicals and high potency active ingredients up to OEB 5.
Siegfried reports 2021 sales
of more than one billion Swiss francs
The Siegfried Group reports sales of 1.102 billion Swiss francs (1.054 billion Euros) for the 2021 financial year, the highest in its corporate history. This corresponds to sales growth of 30.5 percent in Swiss francs and 30.3 percent in local currencies.
Recipharm acquires Arranta Bio and Vibalogics
in the US
The Arranta Bio acquisition's forms a cornerstone of Recipharm's strategy to provide innovative drug developers in the Biologics market with scientifically differentiated contract development and manufacturing services for ATMPs and builds on the capabilities acquired through the recently announced GenIbet transaction and the acquisition of Vibalogics.
BioNTech invents
mobile vaccine manufacturing modules
BioNTech designs mobile manufacturing units based on transportable modules for the manufacture of messenger RNA vaccines, capable of responding flexibly and quickly to the appearance of new variants, particularly in Africa.
Moderna and ROVI expand long-term collaboration
Moderna, Inc. and Laboratorios Farmacéuticos Rovi, S.A. announce long-term collaboration to increase capacities for the compounding, aseptic filling, inspection, labeling, and packaging of ROVI's facilities located in Madrid, San Sebastián de los Reyes and Alcalá de Henares.
SYNERLAB will manufacture
the 1st nicotine e-substitute
SYNERLAB Group and its Sophartex production site, located in Dreux, specializing in the manufacture of sachets and liquid forms, have been chosen by Dal Lab to develop and manufacture the first nicotine e-substitute.
MaaT Pharma and Skyepharma will build
a cGMP manufacturing plant
for ecosystem microbiome-based therapeutics
MaaT Pharma, a clinical stage biotechnology company, has established a complete approach to restoring patient-microbiome symbiosis in oncology. MaaT Pharma and Skyepharma, have entered a partnership agreement to build, to date, France's largest specialized cGMP manufacturing facility for ecosystem microbiome-based therapeutics.
Recipharm acquires CDMO GenIbet
and builds a vaccine factory in Morocco
Recipharm, acquires GenIbet, a Portuguese CDMO, specialising in the manufacture of biological clinical trial material and novel modalities such as viral vectors, RNA and microbiome. On the other hand, Recipharm is in charge of the construction and operation of the new SENSYO Pharmatech entity in Morocco.
Lonza delivers CHF 5.4 billion sales in 2021
Lonza has reported sales of CHF 5.4 billion, growing 20% AER (20% CER) and CHF 1.7 billion CORE EBITDA, resulting in a margin of 30.8%.
IDT Biologika is increasing
its vaccine production capacity
The EUR 100 million investment, at the IDT Biologika site in Biopharmapark Dessau, in the expansion is part of a multi-year program to increase manufacturing capacity and capabilities to meet the growing global demand for vaccines and biopharmaceuticals
Vetter's new clinical manufacturing site
in Rankweil, Austria
Vetter has received the manufacturing authorization for its new site in Rankweil, Austria. As a result of the successful inspection held by the responsible national regulatory authority, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), the site can now support clinical development projects of international pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
Ardian acquires from White Bridge Investments
a majority stake in Biofarma Group
European private equity firm Ardian has clinched a deal to buy Italian drug firm Biofarma Group for about 1.1 billion euros ($1.26 billion)
Avid Bioservices completes first phase expansion
of Myford Facility
Avid Bioservices, Inc. announced the official opening of the second downstream processing suite within the company's existing Myford North facility. This new downstream processing suite was constructed as the first phase of the company's two-part Myford facility expansion.
Recipharm rationalizes its industrial network
Recipharm sells the Fontaine-lès-Dijon site to Astrea and Pharmaron acquires the commercial manufacturing plant of API Aesica Pharmaceuticals Limited in the United Kingdom
Novo Holding acquires Ritedose
from AGIC, Humanwell
Novo Holdings, a private limited liability firm wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, has agreed to acquire US-based Ritedose from AGIC Capital and Humanwell for an undisclosed sum.
Sanofi in $1 billion deal to buy
U.S.-based Amunix Pharma
Drugmaker Sanofi SA will buy Amunix Pharmaceuticals Inc for an upfront payment of about $1 billion, marking the latest acquisition by the French drugmaker in the U.S. biotech sphere as Sanofi aims to offset COVID-19 vaccine setbacks.
CordenPharma acquires three manufacturing facilities from Vifor Pharma
CordenPharma acquires all shares in Vifor SAFribourg, (including its Ettingen branch), and OM Pharma SA, Lisbon, thus taking over Vifor Pharma's finished drug product manufacturing operations at the three sites.
SGS acquires Quay Pharmaceuticals Limited
Quay Pharma will become the global center of excellence for the formulation, research and development of SGS
Australia's CSL to buy Swiss drugmaker
Vifor for $11.7 bln
Australian biopharmaceutical giant CSL Ltd said it would buy Swiss drugmaker
Vifor Pharma AG for $11.7 billion, as it aims to diversify beyond its blood plasma collection business after taking a hit from COVID-19 curbs.
Novartis sees strong interest
in Sandoz generics unit
Novartis is seeing strong interest from private equity investors as well as from other pharmaceuticals companies for the Sandoz generic drugs business it is considering selling, Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan said in a newspaper interview...
Fareva and ApiJect sign a licensing agreement
Fareva and ApiJect Systems, Corp. announced a 10-year license agreement for the production of single-dose pre-filled vaccine injections using ApiJect's licensed pre-filled injector technology.
Biovac to start making Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in early 2022
South Africa's Biovac Institute will start making Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine early next year after receiving the drug substance from Europe....
Adare Pharma Solutions acquires
Frontida BioPharm
Adare Pharma Solutions acquiert Frontida BioPharm, Inc. a US-based, minority-owned CDMO providing drug delivery technologies, product development, and manufacturing services for pharmaceutical and consumer health companies. ....
Corden Pharma Chenôve
is laureates of France Relance
The project aims to set up new production capacities for very high purity lipids intended for LNPs (Lipid NanoParticles) necessary for the formulation of mRNAs for anti-COVID-19 vaccines....
7 CDMOs are laureates of France Relance
The call for expression of interest (AMI) "Capacity building" is a mechanism of the French government resulting from the Program of Investments for the Future. It aims to finance research and development projects, and to support the industrialization of health products...
UNITHER invests 68 million euros
in the innovative project: Euroject
Monday, November 22, during Emmanuel Macron's official visit to Amiens, the President of the Republic announced an important strategic project for Unither Pharmaceuticals. Eric Goupil, CEO of Unither Pharmaceutical to present the launch of the "Euroject" project for filling ready-to-use single-dose vaccines using Blow-Fill-Seal technology....
Germany's government-to-be eyes backdated drug price cuts
Germany's prospective three-party government plans to cut prices retroactively for recently-launched prescription drugs to keep healthcare expenses under control, the coalition agreement showed on Wednesday 24 November....
Space, the new territory for pharmaceutical Research and CDMO
What about the legal stakes?
Many experiments have been conducted throughout the years in the ISS and have helped significantly develop medical knowledge on diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, asthma or even heart problems...
Corning's new pharmaceutical vial factory
Antibiotic resistance is at a crisis point
Antibiotic resistance poses one of the most important health challenges of the 21st century. And time has already run out to stop its dire consequences.
Biden will nominate industry-friendly Robert Califf to lead FDA
President Joe Biden on Friday said he would nominate Robert Califf for a second stint as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and urged the Senate to swiftly confirm him.
Rovi's operating revenue increases 53% boosted by COVID vaccines
Rovi's operating revenue increased by 53% to 463.5 million euros in the first nine months of 2021, driven by the strength of the contract manufacturing organisation business, which grew by 187%, and by the specialty pharmaceutical business, where sales rose 18%. Total revenue increased by 53% to 464.5 million euros in the first nine months of 2021.
CordenPharma invests in flow chemistry at its Chenôve site
CordenPharma, has announced the completion of a Phase 1 strategic investment to create a Flow Chemistry Centre of Excellence at its CordenPharma Chenôve facility, near Dijon, France.
Thermo Fisher set to benefit from demand for testing kits, vaccines
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc's third-quarter profit is likely to get a boost from a rebound in COVID-19 testing due to the highly contagious Delta variant and sustained demand for vaccines against the coronavirus, Wall Street analysts said.
Novartis says may divest generic drugs unit Sandoz
Novartis on Tuesday 26 October raised the prospect of divesting its generic drugs unit Sandoz and lifted its peak revenue estimate for its two best-selling pharmaceuticals.
GTP Bioways invests 12 million euros
in two GMP production units for biomedicines
GTP Bioways, a contract development and manufacturing company providing a unique service offering for the development of production processes and the manufacture of biotherapies, antibody-drug and nanomedicine conjugates, is investing 12 million euros in two new production lines of biomedicines at its Toulouse site.
WHO-led program aims to buy
COVID-19 antiviral pills for $10
A World Health Organization-led programme to ensure poorer countries get fair access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments aims to secure antiviral drugs for patients with mild symptoms for as little as $10 per course, a draft document seen by Reuters says.
Valneva's experimental COVID-19 vaccine
demonstrated efficacy
Valneva SE, on Monday 18 october, said its experimental COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated efficacy "at least as good, if not better" than AstraZeneca's shot in a late-stage trial comparing the two, with significantly fewer adverse side effects.
Virtually painless needle-free injections developed in Netherlands
Researchers in the Netherlands are developing laser technology to enable "virtually painless" injections without needles in what they call a breakthrough that will ease fear and lower the threshold for vaccinations.
What was up at virtual ESMO 2021?
The world of cancer research, diagnostics and therapeutics led its virtual congress on the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) website for the second year in row due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some of the main highlights of the biggest congress in Europe, as if you were attending the meetings
PCI Pharma Services has acquired LSNE
PCI Pharma Services (PCI), has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Lyophilization Services of New England, Inc. (LSNE), in Bedford, New Hampshire, from global private equity firm Permira, to add end-to-end global sterile fill-finish and lyophilization manufacturing capabilities
Lonza expects 2021 CAPEX at around 25% of sales
The favorable market dynamics across Lonza's businesses create attractive investment opportunities, reflected in the company's growth plans. Lonza is accelerating its de-risked long-term investment program to ensure it can capture increasing market demand and capitalize on future opportunities.
Cambrex Expand Manufacturing Center
at High Point, NC Facility
Cambrex is expanding its manufacturing center of excellence in High Point, NC. The $30+ million investment is designed to add new chemistry laboratories, two new clinical manufacturing suites and include a small-scale commercial manufacturing operation with three work centers and 2,000 Litre reactors.
GTP Bioways expands its analytical expertise with the acquisition of IDBiotech
GTP Bioways, specialist in the production of biotherapies and nano-therapies, has acquired the company IDBiotech based in Issoire (France), CRO specialized in the development and manufacture of immunoassays and the implementation of services analytical for the determination of target bio-molecules or HCP-type contaminants.
Merck pill raises hopes of preventing
COVID-19 deaths
An experimental antiviral pill developed by Merck & Co could halve the chances of dying or being hospitalized for those most at risk of contracting severe COVID-19, according to data that experts hailed as a potential breakthrough in how the virus is treated.
Thermo Fisher Scientific opens biologics manufacturing site in Lengnau, Switzerland
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has assumed operational responsibility for a new biologics manufacturing site in Lengnau, Switzerland as part of its strategic partnership with CSL Limited announced last year. The Lengnau site will become part of Thermo Fisher's global biologics manufacturing network, and approximately 200 employees will join Thermo Fisher
Alcami expand its sterile manufacturing operation in Charleston
Alcami, announced, Wednesday 19 september, an additional $31 million investment to expand its sterile development and manufacturing operation in Charleston, SC.
U.S. FDA approves QuliptaTM
AbbVie's migraine prevention drug
AbbVie Inc said, on Tuesday 28 september, the U.S. health regulator approved its once-daily oral medicine for preventive treatment of migraine in adults, adding a third drug to the drugmaker's arsenal of therapies for severe headaches.
Pfizer, Merck and Roche, have been racing
to develop antiviral pill for COVID-19.
Pfizer Inc has started a large study testing its investigational oral antiviral drug for the prevention of COVID-19 infection among those who have been exposed to the virus. The drugmaker and its rivals, including U.S.-based Merck & Co Inc and Swiss pharmaceutical Roche Holding AG, have been racing to develop an easy-to-administer antiviral pill for COVID-19.
Hikma Pharma To Buy
Generic Sterile Injectables Firm Custopharm
Hikma Pharma has agreed to acquire Custopharm Inc. from Water Street Healthcare Partners Custopharm, a US-based generic sterile injectables company. The company specializes in developing a range of generic injectable products, including those with complex formulations
CDMOs invest in Europe
Three CDMOs are investing in Switzerland, Ireland and Denmark in new operational production units in 2023.
Pharmaceutical CDMOs contribution
to climate protection
The "Green Deal" initiated by the European Commission aims at reducing the net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero across the EU by 2050, thereby making the European continent climate-neutral. In response to the increasing pressures to tackle climate change and curb carbon emissions, CDMO companies are moving aggressively towards becoming more sustainable.
Grifols proposed a 1.6 billion euro takeover
of its German rival Biotest
Spanish pharmaceuticals company Grifols proposed a 1.6 billion euro ($1.9 billion) takeover of its German rival Biotest on Friday 17 september, in a move to consolidate the plasma-based drug industry.
ADQ, Abu Dhabi holding companies,
acquires Swiss company Acino
ADQ, a holding company spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi's diverse economy, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Acino from its current shareholders, which include Nordic Capital and Avista Capital Partners.
China's biotech sector comes of age with big licensing deals, global ambitions
If investors in China's biotech industry needed one more sign that the sector is coming of age, then a major licensing deal RemeGen Co Ltd struck last month with Seattle-based Seagen Inc fits the bill...
CureVac cuts COVID-19 vaccine production plans
German biotech firm CureVac said on Tuesday it cancelled contract manufacturing deals for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine with two prospective partners, after rivals with approved shots have boosted production.
Takeda eyes vaccine business growth as dengue, COVID-19 shots progress
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, which distributes Moderna Inc's COVID-19 shots in Japan, expects vaccines to become a bigger part of its portfolio as shots for dengue fever and COVID-19 near regulatory approval, its chief executive said.
Moderna working on combination COVID-19 vaccine booster and flu shot
Moderna Inc is developing a single vaccine that combines a booster dose against COVID-19 with its experimental flu shot. The company hopes to eventually add vaccines it is working on for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory diseases as an annual shot...
France's Sanofi to buy U.S. biopharma firm Kadmon in $1.9 bln deal
French drugmaker Sanofi said on Wednesday 8 september, it would buy U.S. biopharmaceutical company Kadmon Holdings for 1.9 billion dollars, one month after announcing the purchase of another US biotech, Translate Bio for $3.2 billion. In April, Sanofi completed the purchase of Kymab Ltd., a maker of antibody treatments, for $1.1 billion upfront.
Antimicrobial resistance: the silent pandemic
The fight against the Covid-19 and its numerous variants is not the only global health threat the world must cope with. Superbugs (or drug-resistant bacteria) becomes more dangerous and difficult to treat. All countries should prioritize increased access to antibiotics and intensify efforts to help develop urgently needed new ones
Catalent, Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire Bettera Holdings, LLC, for $1 billion
Bettera, based in Plano, Texas, and backed by private-equity firm Highlander Partners LP, manufactures gummy, soft-chew and lozenge forms of vitamins and supplements. Bettera has about 500 employees.
U.S. could control COVID by spring 2022
if more people get shots - Fauci
Pfizer Inc said on Monday 24 August it would buy Canadian drug developer Trillium Therapeutics Inc in a $2.26 billion deal to strengthen its arsenal of blood cancer therapies.
Pfizer to buy cancer drug developer Trillium
in $2.3 billion deal
Pfizer Inc said on Monday 24 August it would buy Canadian drug developer Trillium Therapeutics Inc in a $2.26 billion deal to strengthen its arsenal of blood cancer therapies.
SARS-CoV-2 mutations: why the virus might still have some tricks to pull
The pandemic has enabled us to study the details of how evolution happens - in real time. Scientists have generated more than two million genome sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, allowing us to dissect the minutiae of evolutionary changes to a degree never previously possible for any replicating biological agent outside of the laboratory.
Moderna may be superior to Pfizer against Delta
The mRNA vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech may be less effective than Moderna's against the Delta variant of the coronavirus, according to two reports posted on medRxiv on Sunday ahead of peer review
Bayer boosts drug pipeline with Vividion buy,
lifts outlook
Bayer, on Thursday 5 august, boosted its drug pipeline with a $2 billion takeover and lifted its outlook for 2021 after sales of prescription medicines recovered from restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sanofi makes $3.2 billion offer
for U.S. mRNA partner Translate Bio
Sanofi said, on Tuesday 2 august, it has made a $3.2 billion offer to buy U.S. biotech company Translate Bio, as it bets on next-generation mRNA technology after setbacks in the COVID-19 vaccine race, confirming a Reuters exclusive report.
GSK more upbeat on profits and COVID,
investors not sure
GSK forecast 2021 earnings at the better end of its guidance range on Wednesday, buoyed by a recovery in routine visits to doctors and sales of its COVID-19 vaccine booster that helped the drugmaker beat second-quarter profit expectations.
BioNTech aims to develop
mRNA-based malaria vaccine
BioNTech wants to build on its success in COVID-19 by developing the first vaccine for malaria based on mRNA technology and aims to start clinical testing by the end on 2022, in an attempt to eradicate the mosquito-borne illness.....
The Lambda variant: is it more infectious,
and can it escape vaccines?
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has designated Lambda a "variant under monitoring", and Public Health England regards it as a "variant under investigation"....
Vaccine business helps Lonza lifts 2021 sales outlook
Swiss contract drugmaker Lonza lifted its 2021 outlook on Friday after sales for the first half of the year beat analyst expectations as it benefits from a booming business making ingredients for COVID-19 vaccines...
Delta variant behind more than 80% of U.S. cases; vaccines still highly effective -Fauci
The Delta variant of the coronavirus is the cause of more than 80% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases, but the authorized vaccines remain more than 90% effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, said top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci during U.S. Senate hearing on Tuesday 19 July...
Vaccine vial maker Stevanato valued
at over $5 billion in tepid NYSE debut
Italy's Stevanato Group S.p.A. made a tepid debut on the New York Stock Exchange as its shares slid, giving the world's second largest glass vial maker a valuation of $5 billion.
COVID-19 vaccine boosters:
is a third dose really needed?
Even so, plans to give people a third shot have been unveiled by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The two main arguments to support giving a third dose are that the effectiveness of the first two jabs falls over time, and that there's a need to take new vaccines to deal with viral variants, such as the delta variant. But what does the evidence say?
Pfizer/BioNTech bid for booster doses premature, more data needed
Pfizer Inc's push for health regulators to authorize a third dose of its COVID-19 shot is not yet backed by evidence, despite the fast-spreading Delta variant, vaccine experts said....
Do I need a COVID-19 booster shot?
6 questions answered on how to stay protected...
Recipharm will operate a new filling finishing plant in Morocco
Why, doesRecipharm, has signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), along with His Majesty the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, the Moroccan Government and a consortium of the country's leading banks, that will see the company operate a new fill finish factory in Morocco...
How to create a powerful "HealthTech" sector
in France
Why, does France still not have on its territory a great leader in innovation in health? The pandemic that the world has been facing for more than a year has shown the importance of merging innovation and healthcare. While France has not been able to bring a vaccine candidate against Covid-19 to the market, the French government wants to trigger major improvements in the health system. It also aims to create a powerful HealthTech sector...
South Korea in talks with mRNA vaccine makers to make up to 1 billion doses
South Korea is in talks with mRNA vaccine makers including Pfizer and Moderna to produce COVID-19 shots in the country and is ready to offer the capacity to make up to 1 billion doses immediately, a senior government official said
With no end in sight against Covid-19,
governments get ready for the next steps
While several countries introduce tighter Covid-19 rules to slow down the number of cases and deaths due to variants among their populations, governments are also getting ready to fight against the virus for the coming months and even years...
Five Indian drugmakers to jointly start local trial of Merck & Co's COVID-19 drug
Five Indian generic drugmakers, including Cipla and Dr Reddy's Laboratories, said on Tuesday they would jointly conduct a clinical trial in India for Merck & Co' s experimental anti-viral drug to treat mild COVID-19 in non-hospitalised patients
COVID-19 vaccination passport
and European digital green certificate
A French and European law perspective on how fundamental rights are challenged...
The FDA's weak drug manufacturing oversight is a potentially deadly problem
The latest setback for Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine was the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's order on June 11, 2021, to discard 60 million doses that failed to meet quality and safety guidelines. A Baltimore manufacturing facility run by Emergent BioSolutions had been producing COVID-19 vaccines for both J&J and AstraZeneca and inadvertently mixed up ingredients from the two companies.
What reliable targets for the "New GSK"?
June 23, all eyes were on GlaxoSmithKline's chief executive Emma Walmsley, as she detailed the group's prospects after her planned restructuring. She confirmed the split between the huge consumer arm and the focused drug and vaccines company - "New GSK". Planned demerger confirmed mid-2022 will create new world leader in consumer healthcare. The new Consumer Healthcare company will have a portfolio which generated annual sales of more than £10 billion in 2020
Danaher Corp acquires Aldevron,
supplier of plasmid DNA to Moderna
Medical equipment maker Danaher Corp announced on June 17 that it would buy privately-held biotech company Aldevron in an all-cash deal for around $ 9.6 billion.
Rival treatments may help justify
FDA gamble with Aducanumab
Data from clinical trials of three experimental Alzheimer's disease drugs expected to start emerging next year could help shed light on whether US regulators were justified in their controversial approval of Biogen Inc's aducanumab treatment, without clear evidence that it works.
Counterfeiting - the underworld threat to beating COVID-19
While the word "counterfeit" may conjure up images of fake cash and knock-off handbags, the pharmaceutical industry - and with it, the fight against COVID-19 - has been significantly affected by illicit goods.
"Substantial" impact of COVID-19
on cancer care is still there
What was the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care? It was (and is still) "substantial" according to the latest Iqvia report on "2021 Global trends in cancer". When asked about their perceptions of their patients' experiences during Covid-19, as of February 2021, almost 60% of US oncologists reported that their patients were experiencing financial hardships and logistical challenges with the new ways of working.
Partnerships in the healthcare and life science market in times of a pandemic - dos and don'ts
The globalisation of the market, the grow ing number of players and high innovation pressure have signific antly increased what is demanded of companies in the healthcare and life science market. To cope with these demands, numerous companies are turning to partnerships, especially during the current pandemic, in order to combine their strengths, know-how and resources with a partner.
COVID-19 did not stop cancer treatment's development
In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, developments in cancer treatment continued "to be the most impactful clinically and most numerous of all the areas in life sciences research, catching over 30 % of new medicines", an IQVIA report stated. Global spending on oncology drugs reached $164 billion in 2020, increasing at an average 14.3% over the past five years. It should exceed $260 billion by 2025, with growth slowing to 9-12% from biosimilar savings. Immuno-oncology would represent 20% of global oncology spending by 2025.
Legal and ethical issues
around COVID-19 and vaccines
Under the coordination of Cécile Théard-Jallu, Partner at De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés and Alison Choy Flannigan, Partner at Hall and Wilcox, respectively acting as its Vice-Chair and Newsletter Officer, the Healthcare and Life Sciences Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA) has collected a series of twenty articles dealing with these issues around COVID-19 and vaccines, written by leading health and life sciences lawyers from across Europe, Central and South America and the Asia Pacific region.... ...
Germany to build up reserve vaccine capacity to fight future pandemics
Germany plans to pay vaccine manufacturers an annual reservation fee to build up reserve capacity of around 600-700 million doses per year to help it fight future pandemics, Health Minister Jens Spahn said...
Emergency use Authorization:
new rules and new approvals against Covid
Increased protectionism or "back to normal" strategy against COVID-19? May 25, the FDA announced having updated its guidance to review Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccines to prevent Covid-19. It decided to include a new section in its guidance first released last February 2021, in order to clarify its position....
Could a simple pill beat COVID-19?
Pfizer is giving it a go
While the focus has been largely on vaccines, you might have also heard Pfizer is trialling a pill to treat COVID-19. It almost sounds too good to be true. Indeed, the results are very preliminary - but it's a promising approach. ...
Where does R&D go in COVID-19 time?
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic almost stopped life all over the world. But it did not interrupt the cycle of R&D in life sciences. Activities largely continued, with vaccines being developed in an average of 7 months compared to 9 years and 4 months for other vaccines. According to the latest Iqvia report (1) "the life sciences innovation system - including hundreds of companies, governments, researchers, doctors, and nurses - adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic in ways large and small". Let's discover what the main trends of 2020 were, which are likely to go on throughout 2021...
Fauci, U.S. officials call for COVID origin probe
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease official, said he and many experts felt it was more likely that COVID-19 was a "natural occurrence" but couldn't know the origin for sure, and called for further investigation.
Coronavirus: so many variants,
but vaccines are still effective
Viruses are constantly changing. This is because errors sometimes occur when they copy their genetic material. Some errors have no effect at all. Some might make the virus less viable. Some make it more benign, which means it can survive but doesn't cause disease. The errors to watch for are those that might make the virus more infectious, or better able to avoid the immune system that is trying to counter them, either driven by natural infection or stimulated by a vaccine.
What Covid-19 has changed
on pharmaceutical markets
More than one year in the pandemic, where do pharmaceutical markets stand? What are the main consequences of two or even three waves of infections and lockdowns, on clinical trials, healthcare systems, pharmaceutical sales? Last but not least, what are the recovery forecast as vaccination campaigns are being rolled out in a growing number of countries?
Sandoz reorganizes and strengthens the manufacture of antibiotics in Europe
Sandoz, a division of Novartis, is strengthening its European antibiotic manufacturing network by increasing production capacities in Kundl, Austria and Palafolls, Spain. As part of this network modernization plan, Sandoz will phase out the current production of oral APIs at the Franqueses site in Spain, which it plans to close in 2024.
CureVac-GSK coronavirus variant vaccine
generates good immune response in rats
A second-generation COVID-19 vaccine developed by CureVac and GlaxoSmithKline, designed to protect against coronavirus variants, produced a high level of immune response in a trial in rats, the companies said on Thursday, 17 May.
How can we stop the next pandemic?
Here's what WHO panel recommends
A new global system should be set up to respond faster to disease outbreaks to help ensure no future virus causes a pandemic as devastating as COVID-19, an independent World Health Organization review panel said on 12 May.
2021 Q1 results: tough time for Big Pharma
When the Covid-19 pandemic shakes companies' financial results, some are boosted whereas others are weakened. With most companies having released their 2021 Q1 results, the picture looks mixed: governments prioritization of Covid-19 vaccinations over those to prevent other illnesses have mainly supported companies involved in fighting against the pandemic by all means
New antibody drug helps patients breathe
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
Fosun Pharma to provide factory
with annual capacity of 1 bln doses
of BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine
This marks a step closer for China to have localized manufacturing capability for the German firm's vaccine. Five domestically-developed COVID-19 vaccines are being used in the country, while no foreign ones have gained regulatory approval
U.S. backs giving poorer countries access to COVID-19 vaccine patents, reversing stance
President Joe Biden on Wednesday threw his support behind waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, bowing to mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and more than 100 other countries, but angering pharmaceutical companies...
COVID vaccines: why waiving patents won't fix global shortage - scientist explains
COVID-19 vaccines are key to ending the pandemic. From a humanitarian, moral and pragmatic perspective, the countries must unite to ensure fair and rapid access to these vaccines, worldwide. As political and health leaders have stressed: no one is safe until we are all safe....
Pfizer results, outlook boosted by vaccine demand
Demand for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is so strong that Pfizer expects the product to make up more than one-third of this year's total companywide sales after quarterly results beat and it raised full-year guidance...
Next Covid-19 treatments:
what will they look like?
According to the World Health Organization, there are 277 Covid-19 vaccines in devel-opment globally, of which 93 have entered human testing. Most of the projects in clini-cal testing are injected (78 projects representing 84 %). There are also two oral formu-lations (2 %) and seven nasal-spray formulations (8 %)...
Fareva Excella expands its high potent tablets
and capsules operations
The global active pharmaceutical ingredients market is projected to reach USD 248.3 billion by 2025 from USD 187.3 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period...
U.S. govt boosts Moderna COVID-19 vaccine contract to $1.25 bln
The U.S. government agreed to increase Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine contract from $ 236 million to approximately $ 1.25 billion, to include additional costs related to vaccine studies. ....
Nestle staff sought to help Lonza production
for Moderna vaccine: Swiss TV
Drugmaker Lonza Group, under pressure to find workers to help speed production of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, is recruiting temporary employees from food giant Nestle to staff Swiss plants making ingredients for the shot....
Covid vaccines:
will the world face a surplus in capacity?
Surges of new coronavirus infections blow up in various countries including India, Russia or even Japan. But Moderna's CEO, Stephane Bancel considers that the world may face a potential surplus next year in capacity...
How South Korea turbocharged specialty
syringe production for COVID-19 vaccines
It was 7:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve when Cha Jung-hoon, South Korea's deputy minister for small businesses, got a call from his boss to make an urgent three-hour car trip to visit syringe maker Poonglim Pharmatech...
Benefits Johnson&Johnson vaccine
outweigh the risks', EMA says
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Tuesday (April 20) the benefits of inoculating the Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine outweighed the risk of developing blood clots, after it found a link between the vaccine and rare occurrences of the side effect.
Q1 2021: a good pace for FDA and EMA's approvals
In the first three months of 2021, 15 new drugs were approved by the FDA. This result beats the 12 approvals recorded last year and far exceeds the 7 approvals in Q1 2019. Nevertheless none of the most-anticipated drug approvals in 2021 occurred during the period.
Vaccines against Covid-19:
while they are now deployed around the globe,
who can be held liable in case of side effects?
While many countries are still fighting against the pandemic and struggling to fight vaccine doses to immunize their citizens, the harmlessness of some of the available vaccines, e.g. AstraZeneca and Janssen, is now more acutely debated due to side effects, more particularly thrombosis cases, having appeared, affecting certain segments of the population.
New consolidation announcement
in the CDMO and CRO markets
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is nearing a deal to buy pharmaceutical testing company PPD Inc. for more than $15 billion.
New steps on the road against Covid-19 pandemic
With more than 133.9 million people around the world diagnosed with Covid-19 on April 8, and more than 2.9 million people dead, vaccination campaigns definitely are the main barrier against the pandemic. According to study findings published in the NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine), Moderna's vaccine mRNA-1273 appears to offer protection against Covid-19 for at least six months. Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNTech's, BNT162b2, is said to be 91.3% effective at preventing the disease.
What is thrombocytopenia,
the rare blood condition possibly linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine?
Follows reports over recent weeks of blood clots in a small number of people around the world who had received the AstraZeneca vaccine. Scientists have termed the condition "vaccine induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia" (VIPIT). But what does this actually mean, how significant is the risk?
Vaccines production accelerates,
so do worldwide death tolls
Will worldwide Covid-19 deaths decrease one day? According to a Reuters tally, they are rising once again, especially in Brazil and India, crossing 3 million on April 6. As it took more than a year for the global coronavirus death toll to reach 2 million, the additional 1 million deaths occurred in about three months, in spite of vaccination efforts across the globe.
CureVac's heavy development partnerships
A day full of news for the two german manufacturers of anti-covid vaccines. On March 30, the two companies involved in developing a messenger RNA vaccine against Covid-19 announced important milestones. BioNTech and partner Pfizer indicated it expected to expand manufacturing capacity to up to 2.5 billion doses by end of 2021, with signed orders for 1.4 billion doses of its vaccine to date for delivery in 2021. Meanwhile CureVac disclosed it was organizing the manufacturing production of its CVnCoV vaccine candidate.
Vaccines against Covid-19 and Liabilities
After Japan, France and the EU,
now the Australian view:
"Liability issues with COVID-19 and
COVID-19 vaccines - who should be
responsible for adverse events?"
Messenger RNA technology:
who is in the race?
Moderna Inc, Pfizer and BioNtech are not the only companies to use messenger RNA (mRNA) in their vaccines projects. Several drug manufacturers are also working hard on this technology to develop treatments and vaccines for various diseases.
Where are the European-manufactured
vaccine doses going?
Last year, much of Europe's leaders watched with dismay as the UK and US governments struggled to deal with the pandemic. The roles quickly changed, with the UK now administering over 40 doses of vaccine per 100 people and the US over 34 doses per 100 people. Within two days, last week, the United States succeeded in vaccinating 6 million people! The European Union administered a first dose to 10.4% of the population only on March 19, 2021 and 4.5% of the population received two doses of the vaccine. ...
API RELOCATION STRATEGIES FOR CDMOS:
short-term emotion or structural reality?
Collectively, we did not see it coming on such a scale. The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed weaknesses in global pharmaceutical supply chains— in particular the dependence on Active Pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) outsourced to Asia — and governments have responded forcefully with production relocation initiatives. Is this really a structural change or simply a short-term emotion? ...
Covid-19 manufacturing: why agreements between Big Pharma speed up?
With vaccination now well underway in every part of the world, it becomes more and more obvious that vaccine hesitancy is slowing down, whereas the need of millions of jabs is increasing...
Covid-19: four vaccines at a glance
With the FDA's authorization, end of February, for the use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine in adults, the world scientific community now has four different vaccines at its disposal to fight the pandemic.
Mobilization of American drugstores
in the vaccination campaign
Joe Biden has retained Donald Trump's idea: he relies in part on drugstore and supermarket chains to administer millions of covid-19 vaccinations to Americans
What sales for 2020 FDA approved medicines?
With 53 drugs approved by the FDA, 2020 was very dynamic in terms of new approvals in spite of the sanitary crisis and the economic lockdown. But in the end, which products have taken the lead and reached the most sales?
The good performance of CDMOs
on the stock markets.
The values of public CDMO shares continued to outperform in 2020, with growth for the best between 70 and over 90% (Lonza, West Pharma and Catalent).
2020 financial results at a glance
How did major companies manage their businesses in 2020, amid Covid-19 pandemic, economic lockdowns and above all, "ups and downs" in R&D to bring to the market vaccines candidates against the virus?
PHARMAnetwork reviews the Top 5 pharmaceutical companies' 2020 financial results and 2021 forecasts.
Covid-19:
The race for vaccine production capacities
The global market demand for anti-Covid vaccines is much higher than the current production capacities of Western countries. This demand could last for several years depending on several factors such as the duration of the effectiveness of vaccine immunization, the arrival of new variants leading to new vaccination campaigns, etc.