Avecia and Pfizer enter into manufacturing agreement

Published: 3-May-2005

UK speciality chemical company Avecia and Pfizer have entered into a long term agreement for the process development and manufacture by Avecia Biotechnology of clinical and commercial quantities of the oligonucleotide API for the anticancer drug ProMune. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.


UK speciality chemical company Avecia and Pfizer have entered into a long term agreement for the process development and manufacture by Avecia Biotechnology of clinical and commercial quantities of the oligonucleotide API for the anticancer drug ProMune. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

The agreement follows a recent announcement that Pfizer has entered into an exclusive global licence agreement with Coley Pharmaceutical Group to develop, manufacture and commercialise ProMune for the potential treatment, control and prevention of cancers in humans.

Avecia's dedicated DNA medicines site at Milford, Massachusetts, is the world's largest and most advanced manufacturing facility for oligonucleotides. Expanded twice since acquisition by Avecia in mid-2000, the 36,000sq. ft FDA-inspected facility has "all phase" capability with twin "late phase/launch" pro-duction streams. Currently, there are more than 50 oligo-based therapeutics in clinical trials, with many more in pre-clinical development, variously reflecting a range of first and second generation technologies.

'This is a significant contract for our business over the next few years and it further underlines Avecia's position at the forefront of oligonucleotide process development and manufacture,' said Michael Mclean, president of Avecia Biotechnology Inc.

  

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