CDMO EuroAPI has initiated what it calls “a pivotal collaboration” with SpiroChem, a Basel-based CRO that is specialised in chemical process R&D, or route scouting. They will seek to offer consolidated CRO-CDMO services, “ensuring that industrialisation constraints for small molecules are integrated from the initial step of drug design, thereby speeding up the process”.
In response to growing demand worldwide, WuXi AppTec has commissioned two new peptide plants, one each at its Changzhou and Taixing sites in China. Both use digital operation systems with automated solvent delivery, in order to optimise production consistency, minimise human errors and reduce production cycle time.
This investment will increase the company’s total solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) reactor volume to 32,000 litres. It also marks the official launch of Taixing as WuXi AppTec’s fifth API production sites.
Japan’s Ube Chemical has decided to merge by absorption API Corporation (APIC), the CDMO operation it acquired from Mitsubishi Chemical in December 2022. This will take effect on 1 December 2024 and is expected to have only a minimal impact on Ube’s consolidated earnings.
The company said that it made this decision in order to “further promote the sharing of the proprietary high-level manufacturing and quality control technologies of both companies, accelerate the development of new technologies, expand supply chain networks and leverage the existing bases of both companies”.
Italian CDMO Olon has opened its new R&D centre at its industrial plant and headquarters in Rodano, near Milan. This will be mainly dedicated to the development of APIs for the innovator and generic markets. It cost €10 million and will create 50 new jobs, bringing the total to 350 out of the 2,300 total.
Swiss fine chemical manufacturer Valsynthese has entered into a manufacturing services agreement, under which it will host Grignard reagents production units based on the proprietary MgFlow Technology of Belgium’s Chemium and offer integrated services based on it. Chemium will commercialise ready-to-use Grignards through its Swiss subsidiary.
AGC’s subsidiary AGC Wakasa Chemicals has held a formal ceremony for the completion of a large-scale, multi-purpose production line at its Kaminaka plant in Japan. Scheduled to begin operations in Q1 204, the new line will add 50% to AGC Wasaka’s capacity for CDMO services for the agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals sector.
CDMO Hovione has acquired its Portuguese compatriot ExtremoChem, a chemical synthesis start-up focused on bio-inspired synthetic sugars. Terms were not disclosed.
ExtremoChem has developed a library of synthetic analogues of natural molecules found in extremophiles. These are said to have “shown potential in overcoming challenges associated with the stabilisation of biopharmaceuticals during production, purification, formulation and transportation”.
