Johnson & Johnson is spending part of its big U.S. investment at a Fujifilm Biotechnologies site. Three Indian drugmakers issued U.S. drug recalls in recent weeks due to impurities. Japan's Santen Pharma licensed a VEGF/FGF bispecific from RemeGen. And more.
1. In US manufacturing push, J&J earmarks $2B for Fujifilm in 10-year deal in North Carolina
Johnson & Johnson has committed $2 billion over the next 10 years to secure a 160,000-plus-square-foot facility at Fujifilm Biotechnologies’ biomanufacturing campus in Holly Springs, North Carolina. The deal will create about 120 new jobs in the state, J&J said. The pact followed a $3 billion arrangement Fujifilm recently made with Regeneron.
2. Alembic, Sun and Glenmark issue US drug recalls due to the presence of carcinogens or foreign matter
Three Indian drugmakers—Alembic, Sun Pharma and Glenmark—have issued separate U.S. drug recalls in recent weeks. Alembic recalled 9,492 bottles of doxepin hydrochloride due to an impurity of the potential human carcinogen nitrosamine. In addition, Sun recalled 11,328 bottles of spironolactone due to the presence of aluminum, and Glenmark issued three recalls, including two covering carvedilols because of the presence of a nitrosamine.
3. China's RemeGen sells Asia rights to VEGF/FGF eye drug in $180M deal
Japanese eye disease specialist Santen Pharmaceutical is paying 250 million Chinese yuan ($34.8 million) for certain Asia rights to a VEGF/FGF fusion protein by China’s RemeGen. The drug, coded RC28-E, is already in phase 3 development in diabetic macular edema and wet age-related macular degeneration. The deal could eventually be worth about $180 million.
4. GC’s Made Scientific opens cell therapy facility in New Jersey (release)
Made Scientific, a U.S.-based cell therapy CDMO subsidiary of Korea’s GC Holdings, has opened its 60,000-square-foot facility and headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey. The opening marked the completion of a $12 million initial investment in the site. The company plans to add 12,000 square feet in additional clean room space to support late-stage and commercial programs.