Pharming signs manufacturing deal with Sanofi Chimie
Contract will increase production capacity of Ruconest and reduce costs
Dutch biotech firm Pharming and Sanofi Chimie, a subsidiary of French drugmaker sanofi-aventis, have agreed to increase production capacity of its drug Ruconest.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended last month granting marketing approval to Ruconest (Rhucin) for the treatment of angioedema attacks.
Pharming has had an ongoing manufacturing agreement with MSD, formerly Schering-Plough/Organon, since 2005. Pharming said it would launch Ruconest with material from MSD until the Sanofi Chimie process has been validated.
The agreement will see the Ruconest production transferred to one of Sanofi Chimie’s manufacturing facilities, to provide Pharming with enough capacity to meet future global demands.
The financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed.
‘For the anticipated market launch of Ruconest this year in Germany and the UK, and the further roll-out in the EU and beyond, we will continue the cooperation with MSD for the supply of Ruconest,’ said Bruno Giannetti, chief operations officer of Pharming.
‘Meanwhile, we need to take the next step towards becoming a profitable pharmaceutical company. With a limited investment for technology transfer, we will effectuate the up-scaling of the production process, which will significantly lower the cost of goods of Ruconest.’
‘We are proud to be able to support the commercialisation of this innovative and highly effective product on a worldwide basis,’ added Francis Carré, chief executive of Sanofi Chimie.
Pharming Group is developing products for the treatment of genetic disorders, ageing diseases, specialist products for surgical indications, and nutritional products.
