MEDTECH
Seegene | February 01, 2021
South Korea's biotechnology firm Seegene (KQ096530) said Monday it built up the world's first COVID-19 diagnostic variation test, fit for screening COVID-19 and recognizing various mutant variations in a single reaction.
Seegene's new variation test, the 'Allplex™ SARS-CoV-2 Variants I Assay,' can detect and separate virus variations, including those discovered to be more contagious and fatal.
The new variation test identifies COVID-19, yet can likewise recognize major genetic variations that appear to have originated from the UK, South Africa just as different districts including Japan and Brazil.
Besides, it can pre-screen a suspicious new variant, giving understanding on extra variations, likewise a critical component of Seegene technology.
Seegene's new item incorporates in any event ten of its proprietary technologies, including multiplex real-time PCR technique for mTOCE™, which is the forefront technology that solitary Seegene can use. This imaginative technology permits the test to distinguish an objective explicit spot where mutation occurs, empowering exact detection and separation of the Covid just as its transformed versions with a single tube of reagent.
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INDUSTRIAL IMPACT
Vaxess Technologies | October 27, 2021
Vaxess Technologies, a biotechnology startup developing the MIMIXTM sustained-release intradermal microneedle patch, celebrated the grand opening of their 3,600 square feet pilot GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) manufacturing facility on Monday. The facility, which is located in Woburn, MA at one of the Cummings Park properties, will feature a state-of-the-art cleanroom where manufacturing of vaccine patches for clinical trials will take place. Using the clinical-grade patches produced in the facility, Vaxess plans to enter the clinic in 2022. In addition to the manufacturing suite, Vaxess has announced plans to expand their Woburn footprint by another 6,300 square feet to provide additional GMP space as well as lab space for a host of other development activities to further the MIMI“ platform.
After years of development, the company is thrilled to establish GMP manufacturing capabilities in Massachusetts for both our lead MIMIX-Flu vaccine program as well as a host of other pipeline products to follow,” said Vaxess CEO Michael Schrader.
Vaxess has experienced tremendous growth over the past year beyond the opening of the manufacturing facility including technological advancement of the platform and the expansion of the organization from 15 full time employees to 35 with additional future growth planned. All the progress that Vaxess has made this past year would not have been possible without the help of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), which has supported Vaxess’ efforts since its inception. MLSC President and CEO, Kenn Turner, attended the Grand Opening and shared a few words.
“I want to congratulate the Vaxess team on their latest expansion to Woburn Since the Life Science Center’s initial investment in Vaxess, the company has exemplified the type of growth trajectory we aim to accelerate here in the Commonwealth. We will continue to lean in, and support companies seeking to create jobs and expand their footprint regionally, particularly in the manufacturing space.”
Massachusetts Life Sciences Center President and CEO Kenn Turner
In addition to Turner, numerous other individuals from both the Massachusetts biotechnology and political communities attended the event, including Joe Boncore, President of MassBio, Bill Cummings, Founder of Cummings Properties, Eric Anderson, President of Cummings Properties, Scott Galvin, Mayor of Woburn, Representative Richard Haggerty and Senator Cindy Friedman.
“I want to congratulate Vaxess Technologies on their continued job growth and expansion, which offers further proof that opportunities for innovation in life sciences are truly statewide in Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who serves as Co-Chair of the MLSC Board of Directors. “The Baker-Polito Administration remains committed to supporting life sciences companies that recognize Massachusetts as the ideal place for companies to grow and thrive.”
About the MIMIX™ Technology
The MIMIX patch is designed to be the easiest and most effective way to deliver vaccines and therapeutics. The patch releases treatments to the body at their most beneficial rate and duration. For vaccines, the controlled release simulates the pace of a natural infection, helping the body produce a slow, strong, and enduring ramp-up of immune response, ultimately boosting a vaccine’s effectiveness. Engineered for stability, Vaxess’ patch does not require refrigeration and can be shipped to and applied in low resource settings. It is virtually painless and resembles an adhesive bandage. After the minutes-long prescribed wear time, the MIMIX patch is removed and discarded while leaving behind microscopic intradermal depots to present the therapeutic payloads to the immune system over ensuing days or weeks.
About Vaxess Technologies
Vaxess Technologies is developing the MIMIX™ sustained release patch technology, originally conceived at MIT and Tufts University. MIMIX™ uses the unique qualities of silk proteins and breakthrough immune activating biology to enable best-in-class vaccines and therapeutics. Vaxess has raised more than $60M in grant and venture capital funding from groups such as The Engine, BARDA, DARPA, NIH, NSF and the Gates Foundation. A MIMIX Phase I proof-of-concept trial using seasonal flu and COVID-19 antigens is slated to begin in the first half of 2022.
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Andelyn Biosciences | August 26, 2021
TetraScience, the R&D Data Cloud company, announced today that Andelyn Biosciences, Inc. has selected the Tetra Data Platform (TDP) to build a cloud-native development and manufacturing service for its customers. As part of an Andelyn Biosciences initiative to create a Connected Plant that harmonizes data from building and facilities, process and manufacturing, and lab instrument sources, TDP will enable better compliance, easier analysis, faster decisions, and more agile operations. Additionally, Andelyn customers will benefit from secure, convenient access to harmonized data that is prepared for analytics and visualization.
As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) for cell and gene therapies, Andelyn must remain GMP-compliant and increase efficiency while leading the industry in the innovative services they provide to customers. By launching a Connected Plant, Andelyn will gain autonomous operation, predictive capabilities, improved process monitoring and control, and increased data integrity.
"Andelyn has been a pioneer in gene therapy with a 15-year history accelerating the development and manufacturing of innovative therapies to bring more treatments to more patients," said Bryan J. Holmes, Vice President, Information Technology at Andelyn Biosciences. "Together with TetraScience, we're transforming how we work with our clients, utilizing fully-digitized, cloud-native services to help connect all the plant and lab data created during complex development and manufacturing cycles."
Andelyn chose TDP for its unique ability to harmonize data from building & facilities systems, lab instruments, and process & manufacturing equipment. By replatforming the data to a future-proof managed cloud environment, Andelyn will benefit from enhanced GMP compliance and data integrity, improved time-to-value, and lower TCO. Additionally, with an open data cloud platform powered by TDP and the Tetra Partner Network, Andelyn will be able to leverage their preferred tooling for analytics while supporting their customers' data consumption needs.
"We're excited to partner with Andelyn Biosciences on their mission-critical data cloud initiative and accelerate their journey towards becoming a digital company," stated Chad Garrett, TetraScience CRO. "As an innovator in providing cloud-native development and manufacturing services to its customers, Andelyn Biosciences recognizes that harmonizing scientific data in the cloud and making it easily accessible to clients will transform the way CDMOs exchange data with clients."
Andelyn's initial deployment of TDP is focused on acquiring and harmonizing historical data across key sources while enabling enhanced data search capabilities. Moving forward, Andelyn expects to complete the rollout of the Connected Plant with additional data sources and instruments, and ultimately launch a groundbreaking digital CDMO experience for their customers.
About Andelyn Biosciences, Inc.
Andelyn Biosciences is a pioneering gene therapy company born out of Nationwide Children's Hospital, where the first FDA-approved systemic gene therapy was discovered. Andelyn is named in honor of two gene therapy pioneers who participated in pivotal Phase I clinical trials at Nationwide Children's Hospital 8-year-old Andrew and 8-week-old Evelyn. Bringing together more than 15 years of experience in AAV vector manufacturing, Andelyn is a full-spectrum Contract Development Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that helps pioneer solutions that turn hope into reality. Our mission is to accelerate the development and manufacturing of innovative therapies to bring more treatments to more patients. We accomplish this by bringing scalability, capacity, efficiency and expert resources to manufacturing matrices, all to advance the development of viral vector-based therapeutics. Our capabilities include viral vector process and analytical development, small to large scale GMP manufacturing, fill/finish and QC/QA release testing through Phase III with plans to launch commercial services in 2022. Andelyn also offers plasmid manufacturing services, formulation development services and regulatory support.
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