UCB, which recently pulled off a $2.5 billion for an autoimmune drug candidate, says it sees the need for more biopharma production. To fill it, it will build a €300 million ($333 million) facility and staff it with 150 new workers.
The Belgium company says work on the facility will begin soon at its site in Braine l’Alleud, Wallonia, Belgium. The plant is slated to be operational in 2024.
It said the biotechnology plant is needed for the future launch of monoclonal antibody drug therapies in clinical development.
“The shift of our pipeline towards large molecules requires us to ramp up investment in mammalian technical development, as well as our manufacturing capabilities,” Kirsten Lund-Jurgensen, head of supply and technology at UCB, said in a statement.
The announcement comes just two months after UCB struck a deal to acquire Cambridge, Massachusetts biotech Ra Pharmaceuticals. With the takeover, UCB will get a phase 3 rival to Alexion’s Soliris that analysts have pegged to hit blockbuster sales.
The Ra drug candidate is focused on a once-daily, self-administered, subcutaneous C5 inhibitor called zilucoplan which is in phase 3 trials for myasthenia gravis.
MG is a long-term autoimmune neuromuscular condition that causes muscle weakness, particularly affecting the face, but can also extend to the arms legs and neck in more severe cases, known as generalized MG. It can cause difficulties with swallowing, speaking and breathing and in some cases these can become severe—known as a myasthenic crisis—and require hospitalization.
By Eric Palmer
Source: Fierce Pharma
Giovanni Caforio, the former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, is set to become the next board chairman of Novartis, which on Tuesday proposed the pharmaceutical industry veteran as its pick to replace Joerg Reinhardt in the role next year. Reinhardt has served as Novartis’ chair since 2013 and plans to retire when his 12-year term ends in 2025.
GE HealthCare has raised the curtain on two ultrasound systems equipped with artificial intelligence programs designed to assist in diagnosing conditions in women’s health, including obstetric exams. The Voluson Signature 20 and 18 imaging systems include AI tools capable of automatically identifying and annotating measurements of fetal anatomy.
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry have revealed a new sustainable method of manufacturing complex molecules that could reduce waste produced during drug production. The method published in Nature Chemistry could help to prevent severe side effects caused by drugs that can exist as enantiomers.
