Abgenix Enters Exclusive Manufacturing Agreement With Lonza Biologics
Abgenix, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABGX) today announced that it has entered into a manufacturing supply agreement with Lonza Biologics (Lonza) wherein Lonza will make available exclusively to Abgenix, for a period of five years, a cell culture production suite within its facility in Slough, England. The production suite will be used for the manufacture of antibody products in development by Abgenix and its licensees.
"We are extremely pleased to secure access to Lonza’s world-class facilities and expertise in the production of antibodies," said R. Scott Greer, chairman and chief executive officer of Abgenix. "We can now supply our projected need for clinical trial materials in spite of intensifying competition for antibody production capacity."
With this agreement, Abgenix gains access to production capacity and scheduling flexibility similar to owning the facility, while Lonza retains responsibility for staffing and operating the facility. The term of the agreement is for five years with an option to extend the agreement. The dedicated cell culture production suite with associated purification capacity is undergoing refurbishment and will be operational in the third quarter of 2001.
As previously disclosed, Abgenix is building a large multi-product manufacturing facility in Fremont, CA. This facility is expected to be operational by year-end 2002. Between the dedicated production suite at Lonza and the future capacity in Fremont, Abgenix expects to be able to meet its own and many of its collaborative partners’ needs for clinical material.
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