Biopharmaceutical supplier Sartorius Stedim Biotech and fine chemicals producer Lonza are modifying their 2012 agreement for supply of cell culture media, which gave SSB exclusive sales and marketing rights for certain media and buffers developed and manufactured by Lonza for use in biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes, while Lonza retained control of sales for research-based products, among others.

Under the new pact, SSB will continue to offer Lonza media and buffers on a non-exclusive basis as part of its portfolio of products for cell-based development and manufacturing. At the same time, Lonza’s Pharma & Biotech arm will resume sales and marketing of all its media products for both manufacturing and research. Customers of both companies will continue to be able to source media products for their specific needs, the partners said.

Marc Funk, COO of Lonza Pharma & Biotech, said the two drug industry suppliers have a long-standing and productive partnership and will continue to work together to provide solutions for customers. “As new generations of complex biologics move towards commercial production, media is no longer viewed a consumable but a critical part of the package we offer customers developing next-generation therapies, and we are investing accordingly in this area,” he said.

Reinhard Vogt, member of Sartorius Stedim Biotech’s executive committee, added that the adapted agreement “now reflects the dynamics of this rapidly evolving market, providing additional strategic flexibility for both partners.”

The respectively French- and Swiss-based companies have also signed a new long-term agreement for supply of equipment and consumables, under which SSB will be a preferred supplier for specific Lonza projects.