SWITZERLAND – Novartis is set to invest in next-generation biotherapeutics by investing US$300m for the development and manufacture of biologic drugs.
For this purpose, the company will create a completely integrated scientific environment.
The multi-year investment, covering the development of drug substances as well as drug products, will be implemented across the current locations of the company in Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia.
This approach will bolster the company’s potential to offer improved growth and diversity in its early-stage biotherapeutics portfolio.
The US$300 million investment will further tighten its focus on innovative medicines and biotherapeutics after the Swiss pharma announced plans to spin off its biosimilars arm, Sandoz.
It will create seamless, end-to-end development and manufacturing environments by embedding biologics development within existing Novartis commercial manufacturing facilities in Slovenia and Austria.
In the past 15 years, the pharma giant’s early-stage biologics portfolio has expanded beyond standard monoclonal antibodies to include antibody-drug conjugates and therapeutic proteins.
In addition, this investment is intended to position Novartis at the forefront of biotherapeutic development, by supporting the company’s increasingly sophisticated pipeline with the most advanced technical infrastructure, alongside the highest level of capabilities.
The company will make an investment of US$100m to bolster the St. Johann campus in Basel, Switzerland by setting up a biologics hub that will complement the current NIBR Biologics Center.
A biocampus will be built in Mengeš, Slovenia, by investing US$110m in clinical manufacturing (non cGMP and cGMP) as well as technical development expertise in the proximity of development works.
Additionally, the company will enhance collaborations and strategic proximity at the Schaftenau campus in Austria through a US$60m investment for the development of production capability and expertise.
Collectively these commitments will enhance development processes targeting faster transition times from pre-clinical to first in human studies.
Novartis Global Drug Development Technical Research Division head Reto Fischer said: “Across the industry, biotherapeutics account for almost one-half of all recent new drug approvals and have enormous potential to address unmet needs across a wide range of diseases.
“We are building the scientific environment necessary to bring these complex biologic compounds from the bench through development in an integrated, seamless, and rapid fashion.”
Swiss competition watchdog probes Novartis
In another development, the Swiss Competition Commission has begun an investigation into Novartis over the possible unlawful use of a patent to block competitors for some of its medicines, the latest instance in which European authorities have probed drug companies for antitrust contraventions.
Earlier this week, the Swiss agency conducted a dawn raid on Novartis headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, seeking information about efforts the company allegedly made to protect a drug for the treatment of psoriasis.
The medication called Cosentyx is Novartis’ biggest seller and generated more than US$2.4 billion in sales in the first half of 2022.
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