IN BRIEF
KCC silicones buy
Momentive Performance Materials business is to acquire the Silicones business of its majority owner , KCC , in Korea and the UK , plus its sales operations in China . This will give KCC a 60 % stake in Momentive , while expanding it ’ s technological capabilities and geographic footprint , Momentive said . The business makes advanced silicone and speciality products for applications in many industries .
Vertellus : New owners
Speciality chemicals firm Vertellus has been acquired by family investment firm Pritzker Private Capital of Chicago from Arsenal Capital Partners . John Van Hulle , president and CEO of Vertellus , and other members of the management team are also investing and will continue to lead the business . Terms were not disclosed .
Extra space for peptides
Peptide API CDMO AmbioPharm has opened a new campus at Shanghai . This comprises four new buildings covering about 50,000 m 2 of manufacturing , quality and administrative space , to complement existing solid- and liquid-phase peptide facilities . The firm , which completed a separate expansion at its US HQ in mid-2020 , has also set up a new European office in Zurich .
Further pharma investment at Lonza
Lonza has announced multiple specific investments in the pharma sector . It will build two bioconjugation suites and new customer-dedicated conjugation suites for antibody-drug conjugates ( ADCs ) and additional laboratory space at Visp , Switzerland , while adding particle engineering and drug product development at two sites in the US but also exiting softgels . The ADCs investment is part of strategic collaboration for bioconjugation with an unnamed global biopharma company . The high throughput bioconjugation suites will be built out within a pre-existing shell , covering 1,500 m 2 of manufacturing space and linked to established QC labs , logistics and other central services . The suites will be able to handle highly potent materials for cancer therapies and will initially manufacture two therapies . Operations are expected to start from the end of 2022 , with around 20 staff there . Earlier , Lonza had opened two manufacturing suites at Visp with OELs down to 1 ng / m 3 for the manufacture of ADC linkers . One is now manufacturing at commercial scale for a biopharmaceutical customer , following successful validation . The second will become available in early 2021 . The company has also announced a “ significant investment ” to expand its particle engineering and drug product capabilities at Bend , Oregon , in response to growing general demand . The first suite of 11 is due online this month , adding to early-phase spray-drying , tabletting and encapsulation capabilities . The whole facility will be completed in May 2022 and will also feature spray drying , hot melt extrusion and melt-spray-congeal processing . In addition , Lonza will invest in its oral drug product development and manufacturing capabilities at Tampa , Florida . This includes upgrading the laboratories to handle highly potent material handling and new Gerteis roller compaction equipment incorporating high containment for dry granulation processing . Most recently , Lonza has agreed to sell sites at Ploermel , France , and Edinburgh , UK , to drug product CDMO NextPharma . These produce liquidfilled hard capsules and softgels for drug , consumer health and nutrition uses , employing a total of 390 people . The divestment would take Lonza out of softgels and liquid-filled hard capsules for the pharma market , other than a retaining capability for feasibility studies . It will remain active in liquid capsules .
Split identity
Nouryon , the former speciality chemicals business of AkzoNobel , is renaming its wholly owned industrial chemicals business Nobian , while retaining the Nouryon brand for specialities . Nobian , which is to be based near Amsterdam , will cover activities in salt , chlor-alkali and chloromethanes . The new identity will be phased in over the coming months , with a separate website . High potency manufacture at Visp
12 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981