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Novavax Collaborates with SK bioscience for COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate
SK bioscience will manufacture the vaccine antigen component for use in the final drug product at its vaccine facility in Andong L-house, South Korea.
ANA Therapeutics and Quotient Sciences to Collaborate on Potential COVID-19 Treatment
ANA will use Quotient’s formulation and manufacturing knowledge to develop and supply the drug product for clinical trials by the third quarter of 2020.
FDA Approves Roche’s Spinal Muscular Atrophy Drug
FDA has approved Evrysdi (risdiplam) for treating spinal muscular atrophy in adults and children.
US Government Awards Moderna $1.5 billion for COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate
In combination with BARDA’s previous award, the commitment for early access to Moderna’s vaccine candidate has now reached to up to $2.48 billion.
Henlius and Accord Healthcare Receive European Approval for Biosimilar Trastuzumab
The companies received approval from the EC for Zercepac (HLX02), a biosimilar referencing Roche’s originator biologic, Herceptin (trastuzumab).
Colorcon Ventures Invests in AI Solutions Provider
Atomwise’s technology, AtomNet, works to eliminate the barriers of physical screening for small molecule drug discovery.
Gilead Submits NDA to FDA for Remdesivir to Treat COVID-19
Veklury (remdesivir) is an investigational antiviral drug that Gilead is developing to treat COVID-19.
CHMP Gives Positive Opinion on Centus Biotherapeutics’ Bevacizumab Biosimilar
The committee has given a positive opinion on the biosimilar bevacizumab for several cancer indications.
CTS Bioprocessing Acquires Sani-Tech West Companies and Rebrands as SaniSure
The companies will work to establish an operational footprint across North America and Europe that will offer customers supply chain assurance for a combined portfolio of leading solutions.
Data and the Supply Chain
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges and complications of sourcing, tracking, and testing materials for pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical Technology spoke with Joe DiMartino, Luminata solution manager at ACD/Labs about the impact COVID-19 is having on the pharmaceutical supply chain and how companies can prepare for these challenges.
Bayer to Acquire KaNDy Therapeutics for up to $875 Million
The company will use the acquisition to further its drug development pipeline in women’s healthcare.
Takeda and Novavax Team Up for COVID-19 Vaccine Development in Japan
The companies will collaborate on the manufacturing, clinical development, and regulatory activities for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine in Japan.
FDA Publishes Guidance on Drug-Drug Interaction Studies for a Therapeutic Protein
The guidance is intended to assist IND sponsors in determining the need for drug-drug interaction studies.
Researchers Question Russia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Claim
Questions about safety and efficacy surround Putin’s announced approval of a COVID-19 vaccine, with no supporting clinical trial results.
Grand River Selected for Operation Warp Speed Efforts
The CDMO will offer capacity for manufacturing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics at its Grand Rapids, MI, fill/finish facility.
Allegations Put Kodak Pharmaceuticals Loan on Hold
Citing undisclosed allegations against Kodak, the DFC placed a hold on a potential $765 million loan to launch US-based API manufacturing.
FDA in Hot Seat on Buy American Drug Policy
The White House initiative to encourage production of essential medicines in the United States calls on FDA to set the parameters for and implement main aspects of the program.
Sanofi and GSK to Supply COVID-19 Vaccine to US Government and European Union
Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline have been selected to supply the US government and the European Union with millions of doses of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
J&J in $1-Billion Agreement with US Government for 100 Million Doses of Investigational COVID-19 Vaccine
The company is working to ensure broad global access to its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, following approval from regulators.
EC Approves Roche’s Newest Anti-Cancer Drug
Roche has received approval from the European Commission for Rozlytrek (entrectinib), its newest anti-cancer drug, for two indications.
SBIR Awards $1.4-Million Grant to Accelerate Antibody Manufacturing Technology
The award will help a bioanalytics startup commercialize instrument technology for pharmaceutical antibody manufacturers.
Novartis Gets EMA Approval for Two European Commercial CAR-T Manufacturing Sites
The European Medicines Agency recently approved two European Novartis sites in France and Switzerland for the commercial manufacturing of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell cell therapies.
Pfizer and BioNTech to Supply Japan and Canada with mRNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate
The companies have agreements to supply its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine to Japan and Canada, pending regulatory approvals in those countries.
Catalent to Expand its Argentinian Site
The expanded facility will feature two new 40-L and 300-L manufacturing vessels, a capsule filling line, and six drying tunnels that will add more than 10 million doses per annum to the site.
Colorcon Launches New Technical Center in Australia
The new facility will give the company’s Australian customers access to tablet formulation and coating services in order to shorten supply chains and increase the region’s pharmaceutical sector capacity.
Nasal Spray Recalled
Ferring Pharmaceuticals US is voluntarily recalling DDAVP Nasal Spray 10 mcg/0.1mL, Desmopressin Acetate Nasal Spray 10 mcg/0.1mL, and STIMATE Nasal Spray 1.5 mg/mL because of superpotency or high amounts of desmopressin.
Merck, Hanmi Pharmaceutical Partner in $870-Million Deal to Develop Liver Disease Drug
The companies have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to develop, manufacture, and commercialize efinopegdutide, an investigational drug for treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
FDA Approves First Cell-Based Gene Therapy for MCL
The therapy, indicated for a rare form of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, was developed by Kite, a Gilead company, which will manufacture the therapy at its facility in El Segundo, CA.
Lonza Expands its Microbial Manufacturing Facility in Switzerland
The expansion will involve using the facilities’ existing central utilities and labs to supplement its small-scale and large-scale assets.
Drug Safety Summit Discusses Impact of COVID-19 on Pharma Supply Chain
Healthcare groups met in late July 2020 to discuss the state of the US pharmaceutical supply chain and the impact of COVID-19.