Braskem and Topsoe Start Bio-MEG Demo Unit
Brazilian petrochemical giant Braskem and Danish catalysis and technology company Haldor Topsoe have announced they have achieved their first-ever production of bio-based MEG at demonstration scale.
News
Clariant to Restructure and Cut Jobs
After downsizing operations through divestments over the past year, Swiss specialty chemicals producer Clariant now plans to restructure its corporate organization to reflect the present leaner status and shift the emphasis of its portfolio to higher value-added products.
Solvay Sells Barium, Strontium Business to Latour
Solvay has agreed to sell its technical-grade barium and strontium business in Germany, Spain and Mexico, as well as its sodium percarbonate business In Germany to French private equity group Latour Capital. Financial terms of the deal, which is set to complete in the first quarter of 2021, were not disclosed.
Lilly to Enter Gene Therapy with Precision BioSciences
Eli Lilly is wading into gene therapy, inking a deal with Precision BioSciences to develop in vivo gene therapies for three gene targets. The first target will be Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene that prevent it from producing a protein of the same name. The other two have not been revealed.
Sinovac Publishes Positive Data on its Covid Vaccine
Chinese biotech Sinovac has published data from the Phase 1/2 trial with its Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases. The results are said to show that the candidate is capable of inducing a quick antibody response within four weeks of immunization if given in two doses at a 14-day interval.
Arkema Starts Up Extra China Kynar Capacity
Arkema plans to start up its 50% expansion of Kynar fluoropolymer capacity at Changshu, China, next month. First commercial volumes will be supplied starting January 2021, the French specialty chemicals group said.
Upjohn/Mylan Merger Closes to Form Viatris
Pfizer has completed the spin-off of its Upjohn Business and combined it with Mylan to form Viatris, which began trading on Nov. 17. On closure of the deal, Pfizer stockholders owned about 57% of the outstanding shares of Viatris common stock and Mylan shareholders owned roughly 43%.
Wacker CDMO Arm to Produce CureVac Vaccine
Germany’s Wacker Chemie has signed a contract to manufacture the active substance for compatriot CureVac’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV. Under the terms, the biotech arm of the Munich-based chemical group will ramp up GMP production of the mRNA drug substance for the candidate at its Amsterdam site in the first half of 2021.
Flexibility and Safety in the Chemical Industry
Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) are genuine transport and storage all-rounders with a variety of different uses in many different industries.
Merck Innovation Cup 2021
The Innovation Cup is an initiative for post-graduate students and young professionals in natural sciences, computer sciences, and business administration to attend a training program near Frankfurt, Germany.
Court Cuts J&J Damages Payout to $120 Million
A New York state Supreme Court hearing Johnson & Johnson’s appeal of a 2019 baby powder judgment has agreed to reduce a $325 million jury award by two-thirds to $120 million. It declined to throw out the entire claim case, however, saying there was evidence to suggest the company’s talc-based powder caused the plaintiff’s mesothelioma as charged.
Ineos Buys Out Sasol in Gemini JV
Ineos Olefins and Polymers USA has agreed terms to buy Sasol’s 50% stake in their Gemini joint venture for $404 million, taking full ownership. The deal is scheduled to close by year end, contingent on financing.
AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Shows 70% Efficacy
AstraZeneca’s viral vector vaccine candidate for Covid-19, AZD1222, moved back into the spotlight again this week after giving up headlines recently to the mRNA candidates of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Shell and Nexus in Pyrolysis-from-Waste Supply Deal
Shell and plastics recycling company Nexus Fuels have entered into a supply agreement for pyrolysis liquid made from plastic waste.
Lead Pharma and Roche Link on Immune-mediated Diseases
Dutch clinical-stage drug firm Lead Pharma has entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Swiss pharma giant Roche to develop oral small molecules for a broad range of immune-mediated diseases.
Böhringer to Settle More Pradaxa Cases
German privately owned drugmaker Böhringer Ingelheim has reached an agreement in principle to settle nearly 3,000 US lawsuits alleging that its Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) anticoagulant drug caused undisclosed bleeding risks. Most of the lawsuits have been filed in the judicial district of Hartford, Connecticut.
Air Liquide Builds Biomethane Units in Italy
French industrial gases group Air Liquide has announced its intention to build two biomethane units in Italy.
BP and Ineos Launch Hydrogen Projects
BP and Ineos have separately launched clean hydrogen projects as moves toward cutting carbon emissions and meeting the zero carbon emissions targets set by the UN and national governments.
Pfizer/BioNTech File for Covid Vaccine EUA
As planned, US drugmaker Pfizer and German biotech BioNTech filed an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) request with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate BNT162b2 on Nov. 20.
Recipharm and Medspray in Soft Mist Venture
Swedish CDMO Recipharm and Medspray, a Dutch manufacturer of high-tech spray nozzles, are forming a joint venture to develop soft mist spray technology for pharmaceutical applications.
CordenPharma Expands non-GMP Peptides
Reacting to recent growth in European domestic demand, Luxembourg-headquartered CordenPharma is expanding capacity for non-GMP peptides at its center of excellence for peptide process development and non-GMP manufacturing in Frankfurt, Germany.
Croda to Take Iberchem for €820 Million
UK specialty chemical company Croda has agreed to buy Spain’s Iberchem, marking its entry into the flavors and fragrances market. Croda will pay owner French investment group Eurazeo €820 million on a debt-free, cash-free basis.
Italian Biotech: A Vital and Dynamic Industry
The biotech industry in Italy is vital and is showing a constant growth, report by Assobiotec and ENEA documents.
Lummus Technology and TCG in Digital Venture
Lummus Technology has formed a digital joint venture with TCG Digital, the flagship technology consulting and solutions company of US investment firm The Chatterjee Group.
Evonik on Track with PA 12 Expansion
German specialty chemicals producer Evonik says it is on track to complete the ongoing €400 million expansion of its PA 12 portfolio as planned, despite a few logistical challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic.
CureVac Seals Vaccine Supply Deal with EU
German biotech CureVac has signed a supply agreement with the European Commission to provide an initial 225 million doses of its mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine, with an option for another 180 million doses.
Achema Will not Take Place in 2021
Achema 2021 will be postponed by almost a year to the beginning of April 2022. The decision to break the 3-year cycle was made in view of the continuing uncertainty caused by the corona pandemic after intensive discussions with the community and in the Achema Committee.
Elementis Rejects Takeover Bid
Elementis has rejected a takeover bid from US specialty minerals firm Minerals Technologies Inc (MTI).
Croda Supplies Excipients for Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine
UK specialty chemical company Croda International has agreed to supply Pfizer with novel excipients used to make the drugmaker’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate. The contract, which is for a term of five years, enables Croda to initially supply four component excipients for the first three years of the agreement.
Sasol Starts LDPE Unit at Lake Charles
South African chemical group Sasol has started up the seventh and last plant at its glitch-plagued Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP) in Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA. The 420,000 t/y LDPE facility, which uses ExxonMobil technology, was originally planned to start up in January 2019, but was damaged by an explosion and fire during commissioning.
Grasim Sells Fertilizer Unit to Indorama
India’s Grasim Industries has agreed to sell its fertilizer business Indo Gulf Fertilisers (IGF) to Indorama India Private, a subsidiary of Singapore’s Indorama Corp., for a cash sum of about $355 million.
Iktos and Merck Link on AI Drug Design
Iktos, a French company specialized in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for new drug design, has launched a collaboration with German pharmaceuticals, chemicals and life sciences group Merck.
Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Said 94.5% Effective
Results from the Phase 3 trial of US biotech Moderna’s mRNA-1273 Covid-19 vaccine candidate unveiled on Nov. 15 showed it to be 94.5% effective against the novel coronavirus, with few side effects.
UCB Buys Handl, Partners Lacerta
Belgian biopharma UCB has announced two moves that will boost its gene therapy capabilities.
Huntsman Sells Consumer Adhesives to Pidilite
Huntsman has agreed to sell its India-based Do-it-Yourself (DIY) consumer adhesives business, part of its Advanced Materials division, to Mumbai-based Pidilite Industries.
