GSK to ramp up vaccine adjuvant production to 1bn doses 29-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The company will supply the adjuvant to partners’ COVID-19 vaccine candidates, without expecting to profit from sales.
Thermo Fisher takes over operation of $1bn CSL facility 28-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves A strategic partnership is announced that sees Thermo Fisher run the Swiss site and manufacture CSL’s products.
Gilead seals $2bn deal for Arcus’ pipeline 28-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Gilead signs 10-year deal with Arcus to gain access to its clinical and preclinical pipeline of immuno-oncology candidates.
Hired and Retired: Biotechs buildout at board level 27-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Numerous biotechs have brought onboard further experience at leadership level, with several seeking guidance on lead candidates.
AbCellera in COVID-19 antibody discovery pact with Eli Lilly 26-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The two companies will partner to work on the discovery of nine antibodies, with the initial target being COVID-19-related.
Sanofi set to sell Regeneron shares worth $13bn 26-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Sanofi will sell close to 23 million shares of Regeneron stock, with plans to use the funds to support acqusitions.
Merck leaps into COVID-19 battle with three developments 26-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The company announces three deals on the same day, including an acquisition and two partnership deals against COVID-19.
WuXi AppTec launches closed process CAR-T platform 25-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The cell therapy platform will provide development, manufacturing and release services to companies working on CAR-T therapies.
Samsung Biologics enters eight-year partnership with GSK 25-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The $231m deal will initially cover commercial production of one biologic before adding additional products.
UPDATED AZ receives $1.2bn from BARDA for coronavirus vaccine 22-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves AZ and Oxford University receive injection of capital for the manufacture of 300 million doses of vaccine.
Novartis’ gene therapy approved in Europe, talks ongoing on price 21-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The most expensive therapy in the world receives conditional approval in Europe.
WuXi Biologics seals deal for first US production facility 21-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves WuXi Biologics signs land deal for a clinical and commercial facility located in Massachusetts.
UPDATED Tracking the latest therapies for COVID-19 20-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves BioPharma-Reporter runs down the latest numbers from the pipeline of therapies and vaccines for the novel coronavirus.
UK injects funds into COVID-19 vaccine, puts citizens front of queue 19-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves UK government will invest into an existing vaccine developed by the Oxford University and will speed up completion of a vaccine manufacturing center.
Moderna's speedy COVID-19 vaccine results not possible alongside CMO, says CEO 19-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Moderna’s CEO comments on positive early results by highlighting the importance of its own manufacturing capabilities.
Immunai unveils map of human immune system 18-May-2020 By Jenni Spinner A research team including MIT, Harvard and Stanford researchers has raised $20m in seed funding for their effort to map out immune cells with machine learning.
Sanofi retracts US-first stance on COVID-19 vaccine 18-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The French company bows to pressure from the French government to state that there will be no preferential supply to US of potential vaccine.
Thermo Fisher set to build $180m viral vector site 18-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The site will be responsible for commercial manufacturing and will double the company’s viral vector capacity.
US outlines plan for readying coronavirus vaccine by start of 2021 18-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The US government provided details on ‘Operation Warp Speed’ and who will take leadership of the project.
FDA refuses to file BMS treatment over manufacturing concerns 14-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves US FDA knocks back BMS and bluebird’s application for ide-cel, demanding further details on CMC portion of BLA.
Biotech launches to create ‘rationally’ designed gene therapy 14-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Kriya Therapeutics launches publicly after raising $80.5m in financing, with three gene therapies in the pipeline.
US strikes $138m deal to ensure enough syringes for COVID-19 vaccine 13-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves US HHS provides funding in order to boost the number of prefilled syringes available for potential vaccine against coronavirus.
BMS spends $200m to buy bluebird out of CAR-T payments 12-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves With the partners’ CAR-T therapy under review by the FDA, BMS chooses to purchase bluebird’s royalty rights and take control of ex-US manufacturing.
Pfizer to outsource brand products, making space for COVID-19 vaccine 12-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Pfizer looks to outsource more of its vaccine and intravenous drugs to free up capacity for potential COVID-19 vaccine.
Novavax receives record $388m funding for COVID-19 vaccine 12-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves CEPI awards Novavax highest investment to date, with the biotech progressing candidate into trials and partners with Emergent for production.
Pfizer and BioNTech work to scale up COVID-19 vaccine production 11-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Pfizer identifies four facilities globally to produce vaccine, while BioNTech will increase production at its German facilities.
Dyno launches with gene therapy partnership alongside Novartis 11-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The biotech emerges from stealth mode with two partnerships potentially worth in excess of $2bn.
Regeneron devotes New York facility to COVID-19 cocktail treatment 11-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Regeneron expects an antibody cocktail against coronavirus to be ready for trials in June, plans to utilize entire facility for production.
Menarini set to acquire Stemline for $677m 07-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Menarini adds Stemline’s lead product, Elzonris, and its presence in the US with buyout deal.
Alexion in $1.4bn buyout for reversal agent 07-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Alexion agrees deal for Portola to gain access to its lead product, Andexxa, a treatment that counteracts anticoagulants.
How to prevent another COVID-19? ‘Invest in infrastructure’ 06-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves CEO of Berkeley Lights talks about the company’s work to identify antibodies against COVID-19 and what the long-term picture looks like.
Sanofi insulin biosimilar close to European entrance 05-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Sanofi’s insulin aspart biosimilar receives positive opinion from the EMA’s CHMP.
Lonza and Moderna shoot for billion COVID-19 vaccine doses 05-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Moderna announces it has partnered with Lonza with the aim of producing one billion doses annually.
Ajinomoto to produce potential COVID-19 treatment for CytoDyn 05-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Ajinomoto agrees partnership to manufacture leronlimab, which is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19.
Pfizer’s $308m buy-in for Lyme disease vaccine 04-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves Pfizer partners with Valneva to progress Phase II-stage vaccine candidate for Lyme disease.
Immunomedics closes $459m stock offering to launch drug, scale manufacture 04-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves April saw the company add new CEO, receive approval for lead ADC drug, and launch a public offering of stock.
COVID-19 vaccine in one year ‘wishful thinking’ 04-May-2020 By Ben Hargreaves The likelihood of an effective vaccine being developed and scaled up in less than 12 months is unrealistic, suggests GlobalData analyst.
