With much fanfare, Swiss specialty chemicals producer Clariant has opened a new production facility for its Catofin-branded catalysts completed late last year at Jiaxing in China’s Zhejiang Province.
As part of administrator Michael Regan’s drive to improve air quality in residential areas bordering chemical production facilities, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed that companies measure emissions of certain hazardous compounds that drift beyond the factory fence lines and reduce them if they are too high.
Swiss WorldCargo, Swiss Airtainer, and B.P.L. have announced the launch of a self-sustaining airfreight container.
All changes to the US use of abortifacient mifepristone are now on hold – for three more days – pending a review by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito of two complex and differing lower court decision on lawsuits brought by anti-abortion groups.
Azelis has agreed to acquire the majority shares of Brazilian specialty distributor Vogler Ingredients. Vogler is active in the food & nutrition and animal nutrition markets and employs 130 people servicing 2,300 customers, including many of the region’s largest food and animal feed producers.
Lummus Technology and US biotech RWDC Industries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on deploying polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a group of natural biodegradable polyesters that are a sustainable alternative to fossil-based plastics.
A move by US drugmaker Merck & Co. to have Bayer assume all liability for lawsuits alleging that the talc-based Dr. Scholl's foot powder causes cancer has failed, at least in the first instance.
US renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company Gevo has entered into a joint development agreement for its ethanol-to-olefins (ETO) technology with South Korean chemicals group LG Chem.
German biotech and Covid vaccine maker BioNTech has sealed a major deal with Chinese biotech DualityBio to co-develop and commercialize two cancer antibody drug candidates (ADCs).
WuXi STA has added two reactors at its Changzhou campus in China, enhancing capacity and capability at its TIDES contract research, development and manufacturing platform for oligonucleotide, peptide and related synthetic conjugates. The reactors have capacity of 2,000 liters each, taking total volume for solid-phase peptide synthesizers to more than 10,000 liters.
Germany’s Merck plans to invest some €300 million in an integrated specialty gas plant in Hometown, Pennsylvania, to support the development of its semiconductor business.
Catalent, a US-headquartered CDMO, has broken ground on a project in Schorndorf, Germany, that will add capacity for storing and handling clinical trial supply materials at controlled temperatures.
Solvay has agreed a strategic collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks, which the Belgian chemical giant said is aimed at “building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity.” Financial details were not disclosed.
Polish chemical producer Grupa Azoty, US-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) and the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Poland, have signed an agreement to develop and construct a nuclear energy research facility based on Ultra Safe Nuclear’s Micro-ModulaReactor (MMR) technology in Poland.
Austrian biotech Proxygen has announced a multi-year collaboration and license agreement with US drugmaker Merck & Co to identify and develop molecular glue degraders against multiple therapeutic targets. The deal could be worth up to $2.55 billion for Proxygen, based on achieving certain milestones.
Plaskolite, a US producer of engineering thermoplastics, has agreed to buy a facility in Mexico that specializes in manufacturing cell cast acrylic sheet from Trinseo. The deal, which is expected to close in the next few weeks, includes the land, buildings and equipment – financial terms were not disclosed.
Conflicting decisions by federal courts in Texas and Washington on separate lawsuits involving mifepristone, one of the two drugs most widely used in medication-induced abortions, dominated US news over the Easter weekend. One of the rulings is thought likely to be challenged all the way to the Supreme Court.
IMCD India has agreed to buy Tradeimpex Polymers (India), a distributor of high-performance polymers and engineering plastics. The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2023.
Clariant closed on Apr. 3 the sale of its North American land oil business to Indian specialty chemicals manufacturer Dorf Ketal for $14.5 million. The Swiss group said the divestment is a further step to structurally improve its portfolio and sustainability profile.
Seeking to clear billions of dollars worth of litigation claiming that its iconic baby powder causes cancer, Johnson & Johnson has announced it is now prepared to offer a payout of $8.9 billion over 25 years to resolve all claims.
Ineos Phenol announces the completion of its acquisition of the entire asset base of Mitsui Phenols Singapore from Mitsui Chemicals, a leading Japanese chemicals manufacturer, for a total consideration of $330 million.
Kemira’s board of directors has decided to evaluate strategic options for its oil & gas business, including a potential sale. The Helsinki-headquartered company is reported to have engaged international investment bank Stifel as advisor.
Germany’s Merck will regain exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize the anti-programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) antibody Bavencio (avelumab) following the termination of its Alliance agreement with US drugs giant Pfizer, planned for the end of the second quarter.
ExxonMobil has announced plans to invest nearly $110 million to build a lubricants production plant in India. The facility is expected to start operating by the end of 2025.
Pharmaron Beijing, a Chinese pharmaceutical R&D company, is planning to undertake a major expansion project at its site in Liverpool after receiving financial support from the UK government.
Under the name Envalior, German specialty chemicals producer Lanxess and private equity investor Advent International launched their new 40:60 joint venture for high performance engineering plastics at the beginning of the second quarter, after the deal cleared all regulatory hurdles earlier.
Together with Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) and the Humboldt University of Berlin (HU Berlin), German companies Wacker Chemie and CordenPharma International have launched a three-year project to accelerate the development of RNA-based drugs.
Ingenza has appointed Steve Jones as chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately.
Hasa, a US producer and distributor of water treatment products, has acquired Orenda Technologies, a compatriot manufacturer of eco-friendly specialty pool chemicals. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
GSK is set to gain exclusive rights to first-in-class oral antifungal Brexafemme (ibrexafungerp) for treating vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and recurrent VVC (RVVC) from US biotech Scynexis. The treatment is also currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials for invasive candidiasis (IS), a life-threatening fungal infection.
Industry associations representing EU plastics producers, processors and users have called on the European Commission to develop transparent parameters for chemically recycled products.
Agilyx and Ineos Styrolution are advancing work on their previously announced PS chemical recycling project in Channahon, Illinois, USA. They expect to complete engineering this year, providing the foundation for a final investment decision.
An analysis of British records for December 2020-May 2022 is said to show that young women aged 12-29 who received at least one dose of AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine may have been more likely to die of a heart problem. However, the findings may not apply to the entire population.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and site services provider Currenta to explore the creation of a low-carbon ammonia supply chain.
Saudi Arabia is on a path toward establishing a major presence in the Chinese market. Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest oil producer, said it plans to start construction on a large refinery and petrochemicals complex in northeastern China sometime in April.
