A roundup of manufacturing news from BioNTech, Lilly, and Zennova Pharmaceutical. Highlights below. 

* BioNTech Completes Construction of Plasmid DNA Mfg Facility
* Lilly in Global Health Supply Pact for Insulin  
* Zennova Opens Mfg & R&D Center in China 

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BioNTech Completes Construction of Plasmid DNA Mfg Facility 
BioNTech, a Mainz, Germany-based bio/pharmaceutical company, has completed construction of a plasmid DNA manufacturing facility in Marburg, Germany. BioNTech expects a total investment of around EUR 40 million ($43.7 million) in the new manufacturing facility. 

Plasmid DNA is a starting material for the manufacturing of mRNA-based vaccines and therapies as well as cell therapies. With the new facility, BioNTech plans to independently manufacture plasmid DNA for clinical product candidates and commercial products in the areas of cancer and infectious diseases.   

BioNTech plans to independently manufacture the majority of its own current regular demand for DNA plasmids in the new manufacturing facility, once it is operational and pending regulatory approvals.  

The new manufacturing facility comprises two plants covering both clinical and commercial plasmid DNA manufacturing. The clinical-scale plant has been operational since August 2022. The commercial plant is anticipated to be operational by the end of 2023, subject to regulatory approval.  

Source: BioNTech 

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Lilly in Global Health Supply Pact for Insulin 
Eli Lilly and Company has announced that it will supply its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for human insulin at a reduced price to International Agencies (Bangladesh) (IABL), a healthcare provider in Bangladesh, to increase patient access and improve affordability for high-quality insulin for nearly one million people living with diabetes in Bangladesh by 2030.   

IABL will formulate, fill and finish human insulin vials and cartridges under its own trademark and brand name by 2025. The IABL-produced insulin will be exclusively for the Bangladesh market. This follows an agreement made in December 2022, under which Lilly partnered with EVA Pharma, an Egyptian bio/pharmaceutical company, to enhance access to affordable insulin in 56 low- and middle-income countries, mostly in Africa.  

Source: Eli Lilly and Company 

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Zennova Opens Mfg & R&D Center in China 
Zennova Pharmaceutical, a Princeton, New Jersey-based development-stage pharmaceutical company focused on ophthalmic suspensions and emulsions, has opened a manufacturing plant and R&D center in Chengdu, China.  

Phase I of the facility consists of 300,000 square feet and features production capabilities and consists of manufacturing, R&D, warehousing, and administrative buildings. The facilities’ interior includes three/four stories for R&D, quality assurance and quality control. Phase II of the facility will include an additional 500,000 square feet. 

Source: Zennova Pharmaceutical