The latest from CDMOs, CMOs, and suppliers featuring 3M, Curia, Thermo Fisher, Novasep-PharmaZell,  Wacker, and Schott. Highlights below.

General
* 3M To Spin Off Healthcare Business
* Curia Names New Head of Manufacturing
Chemicals/Chemical API Manufacturing
* Novasep-PharmaZell Investing $7.4 M To Expand API Mfg
* Wacker Forms Industrial Biotechnology Research Institute
Biologics Manufacturing
* Thermo Fisher Invests $76 M To Expand Cell-Culture Media Mfg
Packaging
* Schott Creates Stand-alone Company for Pharma Packaging Biz

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General

3M To Spin Off Health Care Business
3M has announced its intent to spin off its healthcare business, resulting in two public companies, one focused on material science serving industrial and consumer end markets, and the other, a healthcare technology company focused on wound care, healthcare information technology, oral care, and biopharma filtration.

Its global materials science business, which will be the “New 3M,” posted 2021 sales of $26.8 billion, and its healthcare business posted 2021 sale of $8.61 billion. The “New 3M” expects to retain a stake of 19.9% in the new healthcare company, which will be monetized over time.

3M expects to complete the transaction by year-end 2023. The transaction is subject to satisfaction of customary conditions, including final approval from the 3M’s Board of Directors, filing and effectiveness of a Form 10 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, receipt of a tax opinion, receipt of a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, satisfactory completion of financing, and receipt of other regulatory approvals.

Source: 3M

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Curia Names New Head of Manufacturing
Curia (formerly AMRI) has appointed Niall Condon, formerly Head of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) Manufacturing at Viatris, as President of Curia’s Manufacturing Division, effective immediately (as reported on August 2, 2022). He succeeds Curia’s retiring President of Manufacturing, Steve Lichter.

Condon will be responsible for the operational delivery of Curia’s commercial manufacturing services and products, including APIs and drug products. He will serve as a member of Curia’s Executive Committee.

Condon most recently served as Head of API and OSD Manufacturing at Viatris. Previously, he was a Senior Vice President at Pfizer, where he built a stand-alone global supply organization, the Upjohn Division. He spent more than 30 years at Pfizer in roles of increasing responsibility in manufacturing and operations, based at locations in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Source: Curia

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Chemicals/Chemical API Manufacturing

Novasep-PharmaZell Investing $7.4 M To Expand API Mfg
The Novasep-PharmaZell Group, a CDMO made up of Novasep and PharmaZell, has begun a EUR 7.3-million ($7.4-million) investment to expand its Mourenx, France, site to create a multi-purpose pilot workshop within one of its production units.

The investment includes an upgrade of two existing 2,000-liter reactors and the addition of a new 1,500-liter reactor and Hastelloy filter-dryer. The new multi-purpose workshop will be equipped to produce batches ranging from 30 kg to 100 kg for clinical trials, process validation, and commercial production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for targeted therapies, with a focus on high-potency HPAPIs.

Novasep-PharmaZell was formed in April (April 2022) following the merger of the two companies, Novasep and PharmaZell, both CDMOs of APIs.

Source: Novasep-PharmaZell

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Wacker Forms Industrial Biotechnology Research Institute
Wacker, a Munich, Germany-based chemical company, and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have founded the TUM Wacker Institute for Industrial Biotechnology to research new approaches for the production of specialty chemicals and active ingredients from renewable resources. Wacker will provide the institute with more than EUR 6 million ($6.1 million) in research funds over six years. The new institute will begin its work in the 2022/2023 winter semester.

A focus of the institute’s research will be the production of nucleic acids. Further research areas will target the production of low-molecular compounds and the development of new process concepts. The new institute will collaborate with Wacker’s development department.

The institute will become part of the Munich Institute of Integrated Materials, Energy and Process Engineering, an integrative research center of TUM’s and will be headed by Professor Sonja Berensmeier, an expert in the field of new biofunctional materials and process development for the separation of biotechologically produced high- and low-molecular biomolecules. Over the next six years, 20 doctoral candidates will be doing research work at the institute.

Source: Wacker

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Biologics Manufacturing

Thermo Fisher Invests $76 M To Expand Cell-Culture Media Mfg
Thermo Fisher Scientific has completed a $76-million investment to expand its dry-powder media manufacturing facility in Grand Island, New York. The expansion adds more than 45,000 square feet of animal-origin-free manufacturing space.  

The expansion is part of the company’s previously announced $650-million multi-year investment for products and single-use systems supporting bioprocessing production capacity, including for COVID-19 vaccines.

The expansion will add an estimated 100 employees across roles spanning R&D, operations, manufacturing, human resources, engineering, and maintenance.

Source: Thermo Fisher Scientific

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Packaging

Schott Creates Stand-alone Company for Pharma Packaging Biz
Schott, a specialty glass and materials company, has established a stand-alone company, Schott Pharma AG & Co. KGaA, for its pharma business. The carve-out enables the company to explore new financing options, including a possible initial public offering of Schott Pharma.

Source: Schott