Collaborate for TYG Oncology; GE Healthcare and Valneva collaboration; UPS to Acquire Marken

Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology to collaborate with TYG Oncology

Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology (CRT), the charity’s commercial arm, have signed an agreement with TYG oncology (TYG) to take its TYG100, a new antigen-specific, active checkpoint control cancer vaccine, into clinical trials involving cancer patients with advanced solid tumours.TYG100 is a new treatment using a patient’s own immune system to target hormones that encourage the growth and spread of solid tumours. This vaccine works by triggering the production of antibodies that particularly target two members of the gastrin hormone family, which fuel tumour growth.

GE Healthcare and Valneva collaboration results in cell culture medium for vaccine production

GE Healthcare’s Life Sciences business and integrated vaccine biotech company, Valneva SE, has successfully collaborated to optimize virus productivity in Valneva’s EB66 cell-line, a proprietary technology for the production of a wide variety of vaccines, including human and animal health. Viral production in EB66 cells includes secreted viruses, such as measles, alphaviruses, influenza A and B strains, and intracellular viruses, such as the modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus. This collaboration has led to the creation of a commercial cell culture medium, HyClone CDM4Avian, developed to address the challenges of media variability.

UPS to Acquire Marken

UPS has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Marken, a global provider of supply chain services to the life sciences industry. The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close by December 31. Financial details and terms were not disclosed. Marken operates a global network of clinical supply chain services to meet increasingly complex regulatory compliance demands for clients. UPS has been expanding its healthcare logistics services portfolio through several recent acquisitions.

Asymchem Laboratories, Xbrane Biopharma, Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company

Chinese-based contract manufacturing company Asymchem Laboratories has announced the issue of shares of its common stock in an initial public offering (IPO). The financial details of the IPO are yet to be disclosed. An exclusive, non-binding distribution agreement has been signed by Swedish biopharma company, Xbrane Biopharma, with a Chinese pharmaceutical company to sell and market the former’s product Spherotide in China. The drug is scheduled to be launched in 2021 and is estimated to have the potential to generate $38.8min annual revenue.