Page 175 - CW E-Magazine (16-4-2024)

News from Abroad

first partner to receive preclinical material collaboration with Pantherna made it
from the new facility, which is set to go on possible to develop a cost-effective and
stream in mid-2024. scalable process. This doesn’t often hap-
pen during preclinical stages in a CDMO
Wacker Biotech GmbH, Wacker Bio- setting. The transfer of technology to our
tech B.V. and Wacker Biotech US Inc. are new production facility is now moving at
full-service contract manufacturers of thera- full speed and we are certain that Pantherna
peutic proteins, live microbial products will benefit from our manufacturing
(LMPs), plasmid DNA (pDNA), mRNA expertise.”
and vaccines based on microbial systems. Pantherna to Wacker Biotech as part of
this project. The resultant mRNA formula- Dr. Jörg Kaufmann, CSO of Pantherna
Pantherna and Wacker Biotech have tions were, in turn, evaluated by Pantherna Therapeutics, said, “We have established a
been collaborating since 2022. As part of in a cell culture model. At the end of 2023, very good collaborative R&D footing with
a joint research project, both companies Pantherna decided to join Wacker Biotech Wacker and value its broad expertise in the
initially developed the manufacturing in the large-scale production of an active production of mRNA active ingredients –
process for mRNA-based active ingre- ingredient based on mRNA and lipid expertise that we were able to use to turn
dients using Wacker’s own process. The nanoparticles for preclinical dose range our innovative technology into a product.
plasmid-based template DNA, yield and finding studies as an initial major step We are delighted to now see our innova-
critical parameters were all optimised by toward translating Pantherna’s techno- tive mRNA active ingredient move from
focusing on process scalability. The LNP logy into clinical development. the laboratory to regulated production.
manufacturing process based on Panth- This marks an important milestone for our
erna’s proprietary LNP formulation tech- Dr. Guido Seidel, Managing Director company and opens a new chapter in our
nology PTXΔLNP was transferred from of Wacker Biotech GmbH, said, “Early collaboration.”

CRITICAL MATERIALS
MP Materials awarded $58.5-mn to advance US rare

earth magnet manufacturing

US rare-earth materials company, support its North American electric
MP Materials, has received a $58.5-mn vehicles (EV) production.
award to advance its construction
of America’s first fully-integrated rare MP said it will source the factory’s
earth magnet manufacturing facility. raw material inputs from Mountain
Pass, California, where MP owns and
The tax credit allocation was issued operates America’s only scaled and
following a process administered by the operational rare earth mine and separa-
US Department of Energy (DoE) that tions facility. At the factory, NdPr
evaluated the technical and commercial oxide produced at Mountain Pass will
viability and environmental and com- MP Materials began constructing be reduced to NdPr metal and conver-
munity impact of approximately 250 its Fort Worth, Texas, manufacturing ted to NdFeB alloy and finished mag-
projects. facility in April 2022. The company is nets, delivering an end-to-end supply
currently producing magnet precursor chain with integrated recycling and
Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) materials in a North American pilot sustainability.
magnets are the world’s most powerful facility. It expects to commence com-
and efficient permanent magnets. They mercial production of precursor mate- More than 90% of the world’s
are an indispensable component found rials in Fort Worth later this year and NdFeB magnets are produced in China,
in the electric motors and generators. finished magnets by late 2025. MP and the US is almost fully dependant on
Global demand is expected to triple by will supply these products to General imports for its requirements of sintered
2035. Motors, its foundational customer, to NdFeB magnets.

Chemical Weekly April 16, 2024 175

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised