The latest news from CDMOs/CMOs and suppliers featuring Roquette, Bora Pharmaceuticals, and UBriGene Biosciences.  

Biologics Manufacturing 
*UBriGene Biosciences Acquires Cell- & Gene-Therapy Mfg Facility 

Formulation Development/Drug-Product Manufacturing 
*Roquette To Acquire Qualicaps 
*Bora Pharmaceuticals Opens Ophthalmic-Product Mfg Facility 

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Biologics Manufacturing 
 
UBriGene Biosciences Acquires Cell- & Gene-Therapy Mfg Facility 
uBriGene Biosciences, a CDMO of cell and gene therapies, has closed on its acquisition of a clinical-and commercial-scale cell- and gene-therapy manufacturing facility in Worcester, Massachusetts, from Mustang Bio, a bio/pharmaceutical company of cell and gene therapies. uBriGene Biosciences provides GMP-level plasmid preparation, viral packaging, and T-cell production services for CAR-T production for preclinical to clinical and commercial stages. In addition, the company also provides viral vectors, including adeno-associated viral and lentiviral vectors. 

At closing, Mustang and uBriGene also entered into a manufacturing services agreement, under which Mustang contracted uBriGene to manufacture Mustang’s lead product candidates. This includes the manufacturing of MB-106, Mustang’s CAR T therapy for treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Pending the landlord’s determination regarding transfer of the facility lease to uBriGene, Mustang and uBriGene also have entered into a second manufacturing services agreement, under which Mustang will serve as uBriGene’s CDMO to manufacture MB-106, as well as potentially other cell and gene therapies, in exchange for compensation to be equal to Mustang’s operating costs associated with the performance of such services. 

Source: uBriGene Biosciences and Mustang Bio 

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Formulation Development/Drug-Product Manufacturing 

Roquette To Acquire Qualicaps 
Roquette, a manufacturer of excipients and plant-based ingredients, has agreed to acquire Qualicaps, a Nara, Japan-headquartered manufacturer of hard capsules and pharmaceutical processing equipment for oral dosage forms. It is part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group. 

Qualicaps has manufacturing and R&D sites in Japan, Spain, Romania, Canada, the US, and Brazil.  

The closing of the acquisition is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2023. The closing remains subject to the fulfillment of some customary and legal conditions and, until then, Qualicaps remains 100% owned and managed by the Mitsubishi Chemical Group. 

Source: Roquette 

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Bora Pharmaceuticals Opens Ophthalmic-Product Mfg Facility 
Bora Pharmaceuticals, a CDMO of drug products, has opened a manufacturing facility for ophthalmic products in Taoyuan City, Taiwan.

The 6,891-square-meter facility will specialize in manufacturing ophthalmic products such as sterile solutions, emulsions, creams, ointments, and gels. Bora’s Taoyuan City, facility received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval earlier this year (2023) and will include two tube and two solutions lines. 

Source: Bora Pharmaceuticals