Page 151 - CW E-Magazine (26-9-2023)

Pharmaceuticals Pharmaceuticals

GROWTH PLANS CONTRACT RESEARCH

Syngene to invest Rs. 788-crore for campus expansion Enzene Biosciences opens new R&D centre in Pune

in Genome Valley Enzene Biosciences, a subsidiary The facility will offer fully inte- ing institutions like Massachusetts
of Mumbai-based Alkem Laborato- grated services from cell line deve- Institute of Technology, University
Syngene International, the publicly ries, has opened a research and deve- lopment to fi ll & fi nish across a wide of Tennessee Medical Centre among
listed contract research & develop- lopment (R&D) facility in Pune. range of modalities. Within the new others and prior experience at globally
ment subsidiary of Biocon, is expand- R&D facility, Enzene has established renowned companies.
ing in Hyderabad’s Genome Valley by Enzene, a leading biopharmaceuti- specialised departments, including
building 16.5 lakh sq ft of cutting-edge cal company offering integrated Con- Cell Line Engineering (CLE), Drug Enzene aims to further strengthen
research laboratories spread over 17.5 tract Development and Manufacturing Product Development (DPD), Purifi - its partnership with CDMO clients by
acres. (CDMO) services for biologics, said cation Process Development (PPD), providing them with access to cut-
the new R&D facility spanning over Advanced Analytical Technology ting-edge technologies and an exten-
The Bengaluru-based company has 75,000 square feet is equipped with an (AAT), and Bioanalytical Assay. ded portfolio of services. In terms of
drawn up plans to invest Rs. 788-crore open lab set-up that promotes cross-de- These departments bring together a drug development continuum, Enzene
and create 1,000 additional jobs in the partmental collaboration, effi cient com- team of highly skilled scientists and will soon start offering biologics
project over the next fi ve years. Mr. munication, and knowledge sharing. researchers with affi liations to lead- discovery services to its partners.
K.T. Rama Rao, Minister for Municipal
Administration & Urban Development,
Industries & Commerce, and Information primarily for the global pharmaceu- epicentre for drug discovery and deve- Biocon Biologics completes integration of Viatris
Technology, Telangana Government tical industry. The site also includes a lopment services in Asia, and Syn-
recently attended the ground-breaking PROTAC laboratory that conducts re- gene’s expansion has further solidifi ed biosimilars’ business in North America
ceremony for the expanded campus. search into disease-causing proteins for Hyderabad’s status as a hub for R&D
diseases such as cancer and a central in India,” said the Minister. Ms. Kiran Biocon Biologics Ltd. (BBL), a sub- Mr. Shreehas Tambe, CEO & Managing high-quality biosimilars to patients and
Syngene’s existing facilities, which compound management facility which Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson of Syn- sidiary of Biocon, has completed the Director, Biocon Biologics Ltd., said, provide more accessible and affordable
were inaugurated in 2020, house 2.2- serves as a central storage facility for gene, said, “We are delighted to expand integration of the acquired biosimilars “Our successful North America tran- options to treat diabetes, cancer, and
lakh sq ft of lab space and over 900 sci- all compounds synthesised by Syngene. Syngene’s operations in Genome business from its long-term partner Via- sition marks the second wave of our autoimmune diseases as well as offer
entists. The construction of the new faci- Valley with the addition of a large tris in North America (United States and integration of the Viatris biosimilars’ products in new therapeutic areas such
lity is expected to begin in 2024 after “The R&D campus of Syngene in new research and development facility Canada) effective September 1, 2023. business, quickly following Emerging as ophthalmology.”
the requisite statutory approvals. The Genome Valley has grown four times which will create additional jobs and Markets and ahead of schedule. We
research carried out on the site focuses and now houses more than 900 scien- contribute to the growth of the biotech Since the agreement closed in will now be leading the commercial As a result of the completion of this
on discovery chemistry and biology, tists. Genome Valley is regarded as the industry.” November 2022, Biocon Biologics has operations in the United States and integration, Biocon Biologics is expec-
executed a robust integration plan to Canada as a global business. This will ted to grow its employee population to
ACQUISITION RUMOURS ensure a seamless transition of part- further enable Biocon Biologics to con- over 150 employees in North America
ners, people, systems, and processes. tinue to expand the availability of our by the end of the year.
Torrent Pharma looks to tie up with CVC Capital

to fund Cipla purchase DBT signs MoU with Armed Forces Medical Services

Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is in to form a larger consortium. Torrent is is to create a non-disposable undertaking on research collaborations in biomedical sciences
negotiations with CVC Capital Partners also engaged with Brookfi eld to raise (NDU) using the shares as collateral for
to form a consortium and raise at least $1-1.2 billion (Rs. 8,300-9,000 crore) loans. An NDU is different from pledg- The Department of Biotechnology DBT and AFMS will formulate DBT and work together for the pur-
$1.2-$1.5 billion from the European mezzanine debt as share-backed pro- ing of shares. Under an NDU, an entity (DBT) in the Ministry of Science and joint academic activities such as short pose of identifying the needs of the
buyout fund as the Ahmedabad-based moter fi nancing. can sell the stocks unlike pledging, which Technology, has signed a Memorandum courses, seminars, workshops and country in terms of research and
fi rm puts together a Rs. 60,000-crore prevents the sale of shares. of Understanding (MoU) with Armed conferences based on mutual interests technology and collaborate in the
($7-bn) fi nancing package to acquire Torrent’s founders, the Sudhir and Forces Medical Services (AFMS), and available expertise in the institu- identified areas. The two parties will
rival Cipla, said an Economic Times Samir Mehta family, own 71.25% as The quantum of funds has not yet Ministry of Defence. The MoU envis- tions. explore opportunities for interaction
report quoting unnamed sources. promoters. That’s among the highest pro- been fi nalised as Torrent has cast its ages to build research collaborations in among members of faculty between
moter ownership in Indian pharma and net wide to organise funds, with a plan biomedical sciences and also promote The objective is also to explore DBT and AFMS institutions as well
Torrent was earlier reported to have they are seeking to use that headroom to to close this by September end, before scientifi c cooperation through faculty opportunities of undertaking joint as for possibility of visiting faculty
also approached PE fund, Bain Capital, dilute equity to raise leverage. Their plan going ahead with an offer. exchange programmes. research projects to be funded by arrangements.

150 Chemical Weekly September 26, 2023 Chemical Weekly September 26, 2023 151

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