Novasep in Pfizer COVID deal

Novasep has signed a letter of intent to supply the API for Pfizer’s Paxlovid, an oral protease inhibitor against COVID-19 that has shown a positive impact in clinical trials on hospitalisation among at-risk patients Technical transfer, on-site development and equipment installation activities have begun already at the Mourenx facility in France, which is expected to be incorporated into the supply chain by Q3.

The company, which has been a long-time supplier to Pfizer, is planning to recruit more than 40 additional employees dedicated to this project at Mourenx. Further expansion to other Novasep facilities and significantly increased volumes are expected in 2023. CEO Dr Michel Spagnol said that the contract “validates our investment strategy for several years and our focus on small molecules”

Separately, Novasep has completed the sale of its chromatography equipment division to Sartorius Stedim Biotech, after all the regulatory approvals had been obtained. The deal was agreed at the beginning of 2021. Novasep regarded the division as non-core, given its prioritisation of the CDMO activities, which will continue to offer chromatography as a key service.

The division makes resin-based batch and intensified chromatography systems, focuses on low and high pressure for small and large molecules. It had sales of around €40 million in 2020 at a double-digit profit margin. Most of its 100 employees concerned work mainly on Novasep’s Pompey site in eastern France and some in the US, China and India.