Samsung Biologics and AstraZeneca expand manufacturing partnership to include COVID-19 and cancer therapies

CDMO currently manufacturing LAAB combination treatment  and will start on cancer immunotherapy product from next year

CDMO Samsung Biologics has expanded the scope of its manufacturing collaboration with AstraZeneca to include COVID-19 and cancer therapy.

The partnership increases the value of a long-term strategic agreement for the production of drug substance and drug product the two companies first signed in September 2020 by nearly $50 million to $380 million.

Samsung Biologics manufactures AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 long-acting antibody (LAAB) combination, AZD7442, being developed for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

The CDMO said it will start to manufacture a cancer immunotherapy product for the Anglo-Swedish firm from next year.

AZD7442 is the first LAAB to receive an EUA from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for COVID-19 prevention and it has received authorizations from the US, France, Italy, and Bahrain.

Pam Cheng, Executive Vice President, Global Operations and IT, AstraZeneca said, “Over the past year Samsung Biologics has been a highly capable and collaborative partner on our novel COVID-19 long-acting antibody combination. We are excited about expanding our work together into cancer immunotherapy and about laying the foundation for continued growth of our collaboration in the years ahead.”

“We will support our clients by bringing innovative solutions to an array of diseases, especially during this time when it is needed the most, and together find ways to expedite the delivery of crucial therapies to the market,” said John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics.

Samsung Biologics is currently building an additional facility, Plant 4, which will hold the world’s largest biomanufacturing capacity of 620,000L, as well as adding messenger RNA vaccine drug substance manufacturing suite to its current facility in Songdo, which the firm says will be ready for cGMP operations in early 2022.