After months of discussions, Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Company has reached an agreement to acquire Shire for US$62 billion (see SCM, May, p.20). The acquisition is expected to create a global, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan and better position Takeda to deliver highly-innovative medicines and transformative care globally. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019.
Alcami Corporation, a leading provider of fully-integrated custom end-to-end solutions for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, has reached an agreement to be acquired by Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP), a leading private equity firm based in Chicago. MDP will acquire a majority ownership position in Alcami from existing shareholder Ares Capital Corporation.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2018, pending customary closing conditions.
The Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT) has announced the winners of four scholarships presented at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) Special Awards Ceremony on 17 May in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
This year’s InformEx/CPhI North America event was buzzing, with thousands of attendees and over 25 high-profile speakers in a conference programme focused on the latest drug development innovations and manufacturing technologies.
The future of medicines and advances made so far were hot topics at this year’s event, held in Philadelphia on the 24-26 April.
Lonza has opened the world’s largest dedicated cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, US. The 300,000ft2, first-of-its-kind manufacturing facility is the largest dedicated cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility in the world.
It has been built in anticipation of the rising demand from developers of cell and gene therapies – which a Lonza press release stated was “the next era in medicine” – with the mission of enabling them to deliver these types of treatments more quickly and efficiently.
The global market for highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients is currently on a growth fast track, largely driven by its major use in oncology for cancer treatment and more often in the form of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Over a quarter of drugs worldwide now contain HPAPIs, as they have proven to be more effective than other APIs.
However, working with APIs high in potency and cytotoxicity comes with many regulations and requirements, and presents pharmaceutical companies with challenges such as handling, containment, cost and security questions.
