The latest from CDMOs/CMOs and suppliers in COVID-19 projects featuring Emergent BioSolutions and Northern RNA.

Emergent, Providence Therapeutics in $90-M Mfg Pact for COVID-19 Vaccine
Emergent BioSolutions, a Gaithersburg, Maryland-based specialty biopharmaceutical company and contract manufacturer, and Providence Therapeutics, a Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based bio/pharmaceutical company of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines and therapies, have entered into a five-year, $90-million CDMO services agreement to support the development of Providence’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate, PTX-COVID19-B.

Under the pact, Emergent will provide manufacturing services for two presentations of PTX-COVID19-B, both the formulated bulk vaccine substance and finished vaccine product, at Emergent’s facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Additional process and analytical development services will occur from Emergent’s Center of Excellence for Development Services in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The baseline agreement signed is valued at approximately $90 million, covering manufacturing services, studies to support global supply-chain activities, as well as facility and equipment investments.

Emergent says it will manufacture in 2022 tens of millions of doses of the vaccine product, as well as batches of the bulk vaccine substance with the potential to yield hundreds of millions more doses.

Additional Mfg Pact with Northern RNA

In addition, Providence Therapeutics has formed a pact with Northern RNA, a Calgary, Alberta Canada-based supplier of nucleic acid products, to advance the manufacturing of Providence’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, PTX-COVID19-B. The companies have formed a multi-year, $15-million agreement for Northern RNA to provide plasmid DNA, mRNA cap analogs, and manufacturing for PTX-COVID19-B.

Additional Pacts with Everest Medicines

In addition, Providence Therapeutics has formed a part with Everest Medicines, a New York-based bio/pharmaceutical company to advance mRNA vaccines and therapies, including COVID-19 vaccines, in emerging markets in Asia.

The companies have formed two separate agreements: (1) one under which Evenest licenses rights to Providence’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidates in emerging markets in Asia, including Greater China, Southeast Asia, and Pakistan, and (2) for a broad, strategic partnership to develop mRNA products globally using Providence’s mRNA technology platform.

In addition, Providence and Everest will also enter a 50/50 global collaboration to develop prophylactic or therapeutic products in two additional indications. The collaboration includes technology transfer of Providence’s current and future manufacturing processes to Everest.

Under the COVID-19 vaccine agreements, Providence will receive $50 million as an upfront payment and up to $100 million in profit-sharing on COVID-19 vaccines in China and Singapore. Once profit share has reached an aggregate amount of $100 million, Providence will receive mid -to high-single-digit royalties in China and Singapore, and outside of China and Singapore, mid-teens royalties.

For collaboration products, additional products, and the mRNA technology platform, Providence will receive $50 million as an upfront payment and up to $300 million in future milestone payments based on achieving certain technology transfer, manufacturing, preclinical, development, and commercial milestones.

Source: Emergent BioSolutions, Providence Therapeutics (Emergent Pact), Providence Therapeutics (Northern RNA pact), and Providence Therapeutics (Everest Medicines pact)