Partnership Updates

COVID-19 Delays Proposed Combination of Mylan and Upjohn

Mylan N.V. and Pfizer Inc. have announced that unprecedented circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic will delay the proposed integration of Mylan and Upjohn, a division of Pfizer.  As we previously reported, Mylan and Upjohn, Pfizer’s off-patent branded and generic business, will combine to form a new company.  The transaction is now expected to close in the second half of 2020.

iBio Supporting AzarGen Biotechnologies’ Development of a Rituximab Biosimilar

Last week, iBio announced that it is continuing to support AzarGen’s development of a rituximab biosimilar.  In September 2019, AzarGen contracted with iBio to manufacture research quantities of rituximab for analytical testing.  Under the new agreement iBio will manufacture additional quantities of rituximab using its plant-based FastPharming SystemTM to enable preclinical studies comparing plant-made rituximab with rituximab manufactured from genetically engineered mammalian cells.

AzarGen is hoping to use iBio’s FastPharming SystemTM in South Africa to produce a more affordable biological medicines for the African continent.