Janssen has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire BeneVir Biopharm, a privately-held, biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of oncolytic immunotherapies.
BeneVir utilises a proprietary T-Stealth Oncolytic Virus Platform to engineer oncolytic viruses, tailored to infect and destroy cancer cells.
“Oncolytic viral immunotherapy holds exciting potential in the treatment of solid tumours through the priming and augmenting of an anti-tumour immune response,” said Peter Lebowitz, Global Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Janssen Research & Development. “BeneVir’s unique technology platform complements our immuno-oncology research, which is focused on bringing forward an array of novel immunotherapies and combinations that may improve treatment outcomes for patients.”
Janssen said it intends to advance pre-clinical candidates as standalone therapies and in combination with other immunotherapies for the treatment of solid tumor cancers (e.g., lung, prostate, colorectal, etc.)
By George Underwood
Source: Pharma Times
CureVac and the University of Texas’s MD Anderson Cancer Center have announced a co-development and licensing agreement to develop novel messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based cancer vaccines. The strategic collaboration will focus on the development of differentiated cancer vaccine candidates in selected haematological and solid tumour indications with high unmet medical needs.
FUJIFILM Corporation is planning to invest $1.2 billion to expand the planned FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina, US. This news follows the organisation’s announcement of a $2 billion investment in the facility in March 2021. This additional financial boost totals the investment to over $3.2 billion, FUJIFILM confirmed.
Sanofi’s global restructuring and downsizing is now fully underway, with layoffs stretching to the company’s Belgian offices. Belgian newspaper De Tijd reports that 67 employees have been laid off at a site in Ghent and 32 jobs are on the chopping block at Sanofi’s Belgium HQ in Diegem.
