Page 159 - CW E-Magazine (4-6-2024)

News from Abroad

VIRAL VECTOR MANUFACTURING
MilliporeSigma to acquire Mirus Bio for $600-mn

MilliporeSigma, the US and Canada
life science business of Germany-based
Merck, has agreed to acquire Mirus
Bio for $600-mn. Mirus Bio, part of
Gamma Biosciences, is a life science
company-based in Madison, Wisconsin,
USA that specialises in the develop-
ment and commercialisation of tran
sfection reagents, such as TransIT-
VirusGEN. Transfection reagents play
a critical role in the production of viral
vector-based gene therapies.
“Viral vector-based cell and gene
therapies have demonstrated their po-
tential with more than 20 approvals
over the last 10 years and will continue
to advance, with a projected growth of
30 percent until 2028,” said Mr. Mat-
thias Heinzel, Member of the Executive serve more customers, and ultimately step of the viral vector manufacturing
Board and CEO Life Science, Merck, patients, worldwide,” he added. processes. Its expertise and portfolio
Germany. cover a variety of viral vector types,
MilliporeSigma’s Process Solutions including adeno-associated virus, lenti-
“We have been driving innovation business offers solutions for viral vec- virus, and adenovirus. Additionally,
in nucleic acid delivery for two deca- tor manufacturing to advance cell and MilliporeSigma’s Life Science Services
des,” said Mr. Dale Gordon, CEO of gene therapies from preclinical through business offers both contract testing
Mirus Bio. “MilliporeSigma’s broad commercial production. This portfolio services and a suite of CDMO services
portfolio, scale, and global reach, com- includes cell lines, cell culture media, for viral vector manufacturing, lever-
bined with our leading transfection re- processing chemicals and buffers, en- aging three decades of experience
agents, will help take our business to zymes, as well as systems, fi lters, hard- supporting cell and gene therapies to
even greater heights and allow us to ware and consumables to support every de-risk the path to commercialisation.
ALLIANCE
Mitsui forms jv for lithium battery recycling in Japan

Japanese trading giant, Mitsui & and approvals. Volta will management profi ciency in
Co. has set up a new joint venture for control 51% of the jv, while battery recycling, and Mir-
lithium-ion battery recycling with Miracle Eternal will have acle Eternal’s procurement
Volta Inc. (Japan) and Miracle Eternal 27% stake and Mitsui 22%. capabilities of raw material
Pte. Ltd. (Singapore). from overseas. By advanc-
J-Cycle plans to produce ing battery recycling busi-
J-Cycle Inc., the new joint venture and sell black mass from nesses both domestically
company, was established in May this end-of-life batteries and bat- and internationally, Mitsui
year, and is expected to commence ope- tery production scrap by leveraging said it will contribute to ensuring a
rations of a battery recycling plant in Mitsui’s expertise in battery-related steady supply of critical minerals and
Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan in September, businesses, knowledge of battery re- fostering the development of a circular
after obtaining the necessary permits cycling and its global network, Volta’s economy.

Chemical Weekly June 4, 2024 159

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