During the last two years, the medical community spent time and effort focusing on how to defeat the global pandemic and the economic shutdown brought about by COVID-19. These pharmaceutical companies poured their energy into saving lives and preventing more disasters caused by COVID-19.
But once vaccines were developed and found to be effective against COVID-19, other pressing medical needs surfaced. These medical needs included patients suffering from other forms of deadly viruses, genetic disorders, cancers, and other conditions that did not previously have much treatment available. In order to improve quality of life, these conditions required research, clinical testing, and approved treatments.
CDMO Samsung Biologics helped the many efforts taken by biopharma manufacturing to address COVID-19. In addition to these ongoing efforts, the company also seeks to address other viruses, diseases, and medical needs around the world by partnering with influential biopharma manufacturing companies and researchers to produce and distribute therapies and medication for these many issues.
In the month of October, Samsung Biologics unveiled a new partnership that focused on new treatments and therapies for HIV and SARS-CoV-2. The company also seeks other ways to continue expanding its biopharma manufacturing services in other areas.
Partnership with Enzolytics, Inc.
Enzolytics Inc., a drug development company committed to commercializing multiple proprietary therapeutics to treat debilitating infectious diseases, announced on October 7 that it would be signing an agreement with CDMO Samsung Biologics. These treatments that Samsung Biologics will assist in manufacturing will treat HIV and SARS-CoV-2. Samsung Biologics agreed to offer end-to-end CDMO services from cell line development, clinical drug substance, and drug product manufacturing services to support IND filings for Anti-HIV and Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies for the treatment of HIV and SARS-CoV-2. In addition, there will be continuing discussions for other monoclonal antibodies being developed by Enzolytics.
“Partnering with Enzolytics reinforces the value of our fully integrated, end-to-end business model, which is designed to meet the unique needs and goals of our biotech clients,” said John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics. He also said that the partnership would help bring life-saving technology and products to patients.
Other Efforts to Expand
Samsung Biologics also looks forward to helping biopharma manufacturing companies apply mRNA therapies and treatments to more medical conditions. The company has already signed an agreement with Moderna, the creator of a successful mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. But it wants to do more with innovative treatments.
The company announced a plan to add an mRNA vaccine drug substance manufacturing suite to expand its already extensive portfolio of services, with a fully integrated one-stop service, state-of-the-art facilities, and dedicated employees with proven expertise.
But mRNA applies to so much more than just COVID-19. It has been studied before in relation to the flu, the Zika virus, rabies, and cytomegalovirus (CMV), and in the future, mRNA vaccines might be able to provide protection against multiple viruses and diseases, instead of just one. Cancer research has also trained mRNA to trigger the immune system to target and fight against cancer cells.
In the latest mRNA manufacturing contract with Moderna, Samsung Biologics agreed to provide aseptic fill-finish as well as packaging and labeling of Moderna’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Senior VP, Chief Information and Marketing Officer, and Head of Investor Relations James Choi said, “We see great potential for mRNA technology to address a broader range of diseases, beyond COVID-19.”
A New Plant
For Samsung Biologics, continual expansion means growing its biosimilar operations, creating new business models, and making even more partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies. By early 2023, Samsung Biologics will also complete its fourth plant, giving them greater manufacturing capacity at a single site than any other CDMO.
This plant was planned to offer only the most up-to-date digitized processes. Pharma 4.0-enabled technology creates an atmosphere that enables data integrity. Multiple operation modes allow Samsung Biologics to continue offering the best production efficiency. The most advanced facility will be equipped with innovative, top-of-the-line manufacturing technologies.