Agreements and Contracts

The latest pacts from the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Princeton, NJ (Feb. 6)Laureate Pharma, Inc. (www.laureatepharma.com) formed a partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany, www.boehringer-ingelheim.com). The partnership gives Laureate's clients access to Boehringer's manufacturing technology platform for biopharmaceutical products produced by mammalian cell culture. Clients also will have access to large-scale commercial production by Boehringer at its facility in Biberach, Germany.

Keele, UK (Feb. 1)-Cobra Biomanufacturing Plc (www.cobrabio.com) formed an agreement with Pharmexa (HØrsholm, Denmark, www.pharmexa.com) for the manufacture of "PX107" protein vaccine for use in Phase I clinical trials for bone disorders. Cobra will manufacture the protein, and Pharmexa will carry out upstream and downstream development of the vaccine.

Gaithersburg, MD (Feb. 1)-GenVec, Inc. (www.genvec.com) signed a three-year contract with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS, Washington, DC, www.dhs.gov) to develop and manufacture vaccines against foot and mouth disease. GenVec will receive as much as $6 million in program funding the first year and as much as $15 million over three years if DHS exercises its annual renewal options under the contract. GenVec will be responsible for the development, production, and regulatory approval of the vaccine, while DHS will conduct animal studies.