Page 169 - CW E-Magazine (18-3-2025)

News from Abroad

CRITICAL MINERAL
Frontier Lithium partners with Mitsubishi to build

lithium refinery in Canada

Canada’s Frontier Lithium has ing the domestic production
announced a partnership with Japan’s of critical minerals, including
Mitsubishi Corporation to set up a first- one of the six priority mine-
of-its-kind lithium refinery in Thunder rals identified in the Canadian
Bay, Ontario, Canada. Critical Minerals Strategy. “At
Frontier Lithium, our vision
The companies announced the deal is to become North America’s
on March 4. As per the deal, Mitsubishi leading supplier of critical mate-
will acquire an initial 7.5 per cent in- rials. We are grateful for the
terest in the project for $25-mn. That develop and operate a lithium chemi- confidence the Government of Canada
share could rise as high as 25% on com- cals conversion facility in Thunder Bay. has placed in this vision and for its sup-
pletion of the project’s feasibility study. port in developing our lithium conversion
The multi-hundred-million-dollar facility in Thunder Bay,” said Mr. Trevor
Additionally, Frontier and Mitsubishi PAK Lithium Project is the first fully inte- Walker, President and CEO, Frontier
will work closely together to pursue grated lithium development initiative in Lithium. “This support will help ensure
project financing to fund the develop- Canada. It supports the Government of that we maximise the economic benefits
ment capital costs of the project. Fron- Canada’s goal of developing Canadian of our natural resources while supporting
tier Lithium said that it is working with end-to-end supply chains for critical mine- the global transition to clean energy, and
the provincial and federal governments rals in the face of an increasingly uncer- it will strengthen Canada’s position as a
towards an agreement that would, sub- tain world. Frontier’s proposed project leader in in the global race for safe and
ject to final conditions, see the company aligns with Canada’s priority of support- secure critical minerals,” he said.
EXPANSION
Axplora bolsters ADC manufacturing capabilities

at French site

Axplora, a German firm involved range of 30 to 200 litres, the company payload-linker development laboratories,
in API small molecule and ADC (anti- informed in a press note. Additionally, a bioconjugation suites and drug product
body-drug conjugate) manufacturing, dedicated Hastelloy filter dryer ensures release testing, enabling seamless transition
is ramping up its ADC capabilities with high-level containment and safety, align- from early clinical phases to commercial
the launch of a payload manufacturing ing with the highest industry standards production – all with a single team of
workshop at its Le Mans site (France). for cytotoxic payload manufacturing. experts guiding the process to de-risk sup-
ply chains. “This expansion is a bold step
Axplora lays claims to being sup- Producing batches up to 1.5-kg, the forward in our mission to support clients
plier of 40% of the world’s marketed facility has been designed to meet grow- at every stage of ADC development and
ADCs, and 50% of FDA-approved ing demand for next-generation payload manufacturing,” stated Mr. Arul Rama-
ADCs and the expansion of the Le Mans families that are driving innovation in durai, the company’s Chief Commercial
facility is aimed at cementing its role as oncology therapies such as Auristatins and Officer. “By combining state-of-the-art
a fully integrated partner for ADC deve- Tecans. The Le Mans site is also home payload manufacturing with our proven
lopment and manufacturing. Designed for to four purification lines ranging from expertise in purification and bioconju-
flexibility and efficiency, the new GMP small to large scale. These lines leverage gation, we are enabling pharmaceutical
workshop is currently equipped with high-performance chromatography for innovators to accelerate drug development
three Hastelloy reactors, and can accom- producing efficient, high-quality cyto- and deliver transformative treatments
modate a fourth, offering a production toxics. Axplora also boasts of best-in-class to patients faster,” he added.

Chemical Weekly March 18, 2025 169

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