Industry Briefs: January 7, 2013

Company News

Almac and TTP Labtech have formed an alliance in the field of fluorescence lifetime technology. The alliance is designed to give customers of either party access to a range of biological applications coupled with microplate-reader technology. Read More

Cegedim Relationship Management reports that Ranbaxy Laboratories has fully deployed the company’s life-sciences compliance solution suite, including the AggregateSpend360. Read More

Coating Place has been granted the third in a series of patents for delivering extended-release drugs from ion-exchange resins. The first two patents (US 7,871,645 and 8,329,224) capture Coating Place’s technology for near quantitative utilization of the active drug, avoiding the loss of drug normally associated with equilibrium loading onto ion-exchange resins. The third patent (US 8,343,546) describes swelling of ion-exchange resins using very low loadings of a swelling agent distributed more efficiently and effectively than required in prior art. All three patents are applicable to any drug suitable for use with ion-exchange resins, typically polar drugs or their salts.

CP Kelco, a producer of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), plans to increase capacity at its production facility in Äänekoski, Finland. CP Kelco will be expanding purified CMC capacity up to 25% at this facility during the next 12 to 18 months. Read More

Evotec has acquired Cell Culture Service (CCS), a Germany-based company that supplies custom cells and cell-based reagents, such as recombinant assay cell lines, assay-ready frozen instant cells, qualified membranes, and proteins for high throughput screening. Read More

In other news, Evotec has expanded the scope of its collaboration with MedImmune, the global biologics arm of AstraZeneca, after hitting a key milestone. Evotec achieved a milestone payment of EUR 500,000 ($654,000). The milestone triggers a commercial license granted to MedImmune and an extension of the diabetes and beta-cell regeneration collaboration to the end of 2013. Read More

LGC has acquired the bioanalytical sciences business of Quotient Bioresearch. The acquisition, which will form part of LGC’s Health Sciences division, will enable LGC to provide an enhanced range of products and services to the pharmaceutical sector, including bioanalysis, materials science, and reference materials, among others. Read More

Questcor Pharmaceuticals has agreed to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of BioVectra for an upfront payment of CAD 50 million ($50.7 million). BioVectra is a supplier of contract manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and manufactures APIs, chemical intermediates, and bioprocessing reagents. Read More

Repligen has entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Pfizer to advance Repligen’s spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) program, originally in-licensed from Families of SMA. The SMA program includes RG3039, a small-molecule drug candidate in clinical development for SMA, as well as backup compounds and enabling technologies. Under the agreement, Repligen is entitled to receive up to $70 million from Pfizer, commencing with an upfront payment of $5 million and total potential future milestone payments of up to $65 million as well as royalties on any future sales of SMA compounds developed under the agreement.

SeraCare Life Sciences, a portfolio company of Linden Capital Partners serving the in vitro diagnostics and clinical laboratory markets, has reorganized into three market-based commercial business units: IVD Research, IVD Processing, and Clinical Laboratory. Read More

Takeda Pharmaceuticals America has entered into a supply agreement for the sourcing and supply of Omontys (peginesatide) injection with the dialysis provider DSI Renal. The agreement allows DSI Renal to purchase Omontys for use within its organization and provides for discounts and rebates on the product, subject to certain requirements. DSI Renal has indicated that the company plans to initially evaluate Omontys in selected centers, and then, based on experience, evaluate the potential to expand to additional centers. Read More

People News

Ambrx has appointed Lawson Macartney as CEO. Read More

VWR International appointed Manuel Brocke-Benz as president and CEO, effective immediately. Read More