CDMO, CMO, Supplier Roundup in Supporting COVID-19 Projects
The latest from CDMOs/CMOs and suppliers in COVID-19 projects featuring Just-Evotec Biologics, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and LabVantage.
Biologics Manufacturing
Evotec Gets $18.2 M from US Gov’t to Produce COVID-19 Antibody Products
Just–Evotec Biologics, a technology platform company for the development and manufacture of biologics, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Evotec, has been awarded a contract from the US government, valued up to $18.2 million, to develop and manufacture monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the treatment and/or prevention of COVID-19.
The goal of this program is to deliver the mAbs to the US Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) is executing this effort in coordination with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and the Defense Health Agency.
Under the contract, Just–Evotec Biologics will design a manufacturing process for the production of clinical supplies of two monoclonal antibodies directed against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The mAbs will be tested in early-stage clinical trials and ultimately, used for intervention and/or prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Source: Just–Evotec Biologics
General
Thermo Fisher Outlines Support for COVID-19 Projects
Thermo Fisher Scientific has highlighted its continued support in the development and production of COVID-19 vaccines, therapies, and other treatments.
To support accelerated vaccine development in the US, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the US Department of Health and Human Services, announced funding to support the expansion of Thermo Fisher’s manufacturing capacity for sterile injectables, which can be used to fill a high volume of vaccine doses. Thermo Fisher is also supporting multiple vaccine programs globally that are in or entering human clinical trials.
The company has also expanded capacity for new and existing therapies, including antiviral drugs. In addition to its work on COVID-19-related vaccines and therapies, the company launched a “site-to-patient” program at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure access to investigational drug shipments without having patients having to visit a clinic.
Source: Thermo Fisher Scientific
LabVantage Launches COVID-19 LIMS Service for Onsite Workplace Testing
LabVantage Solutions, a provider of laboratory informatics products and services, including laboratory information management systems (LIMs), reports an undisclosed consumer packaged goods (CPG) company has deployed the LabVantage COVID-19 LIMS solution to ensure employee health and safety in the workplace.
The US-based CPG company opened an in-house COVID-19 testing center where employees can be tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. In-house health and laboratory professionals using LabVantage’s purpose-built COVID-19 LIMs can schedule, collect samples, test, track, and report results. The LabVantage COVID-19 LIMS prepares the sample request, labels sample specimens, tracks all patient and sample data following privacy and security protocols and handles results and reporting in a single interface. LabVantage COVID-19 LIMS can be hosted on the cloud or offered as SaaS (software as a service).
Source: LabVantage
