UK biotech firm ImmBio has picked contract manufacturer Eden Biodesign to provide development and manufacturing services for its leading influenza vaccine programme.
The aim of the deal is to manufacture both seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines, where manufacturing speed and flexibility are critical to meet unmet market needs.
"Working with Eden Biodesign will allow us to rapidly advance the next generation influenza vaccine forward towards a clinical trial application and is consistent with our aggressive timelines for bringing our viral lead product to the clinic," said Graham Clarke, CEO of ImmBio.
"We are delighted for the development of our leading influenza programme to be managed by Eden Biodesign at their facility in Liverpool."
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Californian contract manufacturer Pharmatec Laboratories has bagged a contract with San Diego-based Adventrx Pharmaceuticals to manufacture clinical trial quantities of the biotech company's new HIV drug.
Under the terms of the deal, Pharmatec will manufacture ANX-201 (thiovir) capsules for Phase I and II studies expected to start later this year, the companies said in a statement.
Adventrx plans to file an investigational new drug application (IND) with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the second quarter of 2007.
In other contract manufacturing news, Vion Pharmaceuticals and SAFC Pharma have decided to extend their agreement for the manufacturing of Vion's anti-cancer drug.
Under the terms of the deal, SAFC, which is part of the Sigma-Aldrich group, will continue to make the high-potency active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for Cloretazine.
The companies said that the amended contract extends the original 2003 supply deal to 2009. In addition, the production of Cloretazine API will continue to be conducted in SAFC's high-potency manufacturing facility in Madison, Wisconsin.
Cloretazine is currently in a Phase III clinical trial in combination with Ara-C for the treatment of relapsed acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML), and is also undergoing a Phase II pivotal trial for elderly de novo poor-risk AML.
