An expansion in Ireland for Eurofins, new cell screening tech for Cyprotex, and an mRNA development deal for Charles River. Welcome to Biopharma-Reporter’s bio-service round-up.
New acquisition Sigma Aldrich will play a part in African growth plans in addition to giving it a presence in the preclinical services sector says Merck*.
Attaching PEG-chains to biological molecules can increase bioavailability and speed up development of protein-based therapies and biosimilars, says EMD Millipore which has inked a deal with PEGylation firm celares.
Biologics are the next challenge for multinationals looking to enter the lucrative Chinese market, but such drugs must offer value and genuine innovation, say the CEOs of Merck KGaA and Chi-Med.
Despite a $17bn bid from Merck KGaA, it’s “business as usual” at Sigma-Aldrich which has signed a distribution agreement with reagent-based microbial growth systems firm BioSilta.
Life science sector consolidation is a concern for some biomanufacturers, who say mega mergers like Merck KGaA’s $17bn acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich will limit their ability to negotiate on prices.
Merck Serono is planning to invest between €130m ($168m) and €150m ($194m) in biosimilars in 2015, depending on the outcome of ongoing Phase I studies, the company announced Thursday.
As part of an effort to meet a rising demand for biopharmaceuticals, Germany-based Merck has agreed to invest about $68m (€50m) in its Italian production site in Bari.
