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.
News
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.
McDermott Wins Follow-up Russian Cracker Contract
US engineering contractor McDermott International has been awarded a follow-up contract for the ethane cracker complex being built by China National Chemical Engineering & Construction Corporation Seven (CC7) for the Baltic Chemical Plant (BCP) in the Russian Baltic seaport of Ust-Luga.
W. R. Grace Rejects 40 North Takeover
US specialty chemical company W. R. Grace has rejected a takeover offer by shareholder 40 North Management, stating it “undervalues the company and is not a basis for further discussion.” The offer at $60 per share valued Grace at $4 billion.
Pfizer-BioNTech Pledge 300 Million Vaccine Doses to EU
US drugmaker Pfizer and its German development partner BioNTech have reached a final agreement with the European Commission to supply 200 million doses of their mRNA-based Covid19 vaccine candidate to the EU’s member states at an undisclosed price.
Stolt and John T. Essberger in Shipping JV
Stolt Tankers, the wholly owned subsidiary of Norway’s Stolt-Nielsen, has entered into a joint venture with Germany’s John T. Essberger Group to operate a combined fleet of chemical tankers within Europe.
NextChem and IndianOil Sign Circular Economy Pact
NextChem, the green chemistry arm of Italian engineering contractor Maire Tecnimont, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IndianOil to develop industrial projects using NextChem technologies.
Thermo Fisher and Innoforce Plan Chinese JV
US scientific equipment manufacturer Thermo Fisher Scientific and China-based CDMO Innoforce have formed a joint venture to own and operate a new pharma services facility for integrated biologics and sterile drug development and manufacturing in Hangzhou, China. Start date for the new entity is 2022.
ADNOC and ADQ Plan Chemical Projects in Abu Dhabi
Ta’ziz, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and compatriot holding company ADQ, will invest more than $5 billion in seven chemical anchor projects and related infrastructure within the planned Ruwais Derivatives Park in Abu Dhabi.
J&J Weighs Appeal of Talc Loss to Supreme Court
Johnson & Johnson is mulling whether to appeal a major financial setback in its ongoing talc baby powder litigation to the US Supreme Court.
Lonza Opens new Plant for ADC Payload Manufacturing
Swiss CDMO Lonza has inaugurated the first of two planned state-of-the-art, highly-potent API (HPAPI) suites for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) drug-linker (payload) manufacturing at its site in Visp, Switzerland. The new facility can handle compounds with occupational exposure levels down to 1ng/m3.
IMCD to Buy Peak’s Pharma Business
Dutch specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor IMCD has entered into an agreement to buy the pharmaceutical business of compatriot firm Peak International Products for an undisclosed sum.
Neste and LG Chem Partner on Renewables
Neste and South Korean petrochemicals giant LG Chem have formed a long-term partnership with the aim of developing and growing the global biopolymers and biochemicals market, and more specifically, LG Chem’s domestic market.
Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Claimed 90% Effective
Phase 3 clinical trials with the mRNA vaccine candidate BNT162b2 being developed by US pharma giant Pfizer and German biotech partner BioNTech have shown it to be more than 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, the companies announced in a preliminary look at efficacy.
