NEWS
JUL / AUG 2021
Novasep in double French expansion
Novasep has announced a € 6.1 million investment to modernise API manufacturing at its site in Mourenx , south-west France ( pictured ). This followed on shortly after a € 4 million investment had been announced at its main HPAPI site at Le Mans , also in France . Via the former investment , Novasep will install new equipment and revamp clean rooms for API isolation at Mourenx , creating seven new jobs . The company said that this will “ enhance Novasep ’ s flexibility and develop a high-performance capacity for the custom manufacturing of innovative therapeutic molecules ”. This project has been selected as part of the French Government ’ s France Relance recovery plan , which funds promising industrial investments , so as to enable France to increase its economic growth and employment potential . The amount invested by the Government was not disclosed . As well as spending € 4 million , Novasep is recruiting 30 more people at Le Mans , where it develops HPAPIs and antibody-drug conjugates ( ADCs ), mainly for cancer treatment . It said that the site “ continues to exhibit strong growth as a result of longstanding collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies and new partnerships with biotechnology innovators ”. The company has been active in ADCs for 15 years and has offered integrated development and manufacturing services for both payloads and bioconjugation since 2017 , when it opened its € 12 million bioconjugation facility . This has recently had a successful inspection by the French regulatory authority , ANSM .
IN BRIEF
ESIM sells the ‘ IM ’
Vertellus has agreed to acquire IM Chemicals , ESIM Chemicals ’ intermediates and specialities division , which makes speciality anhydrides for markets including coatings , fuel and lubricants , pigments , construction and pharmaceuticals the former DSM site in at Linz , Austria . This leaves ESIM active through its ‘ ES ’ business , which offers custom development and manufacturing services , particularly for crop protection
Battery partnership
Johnson Matthey , Thomas Swan and the UK ’ s Centre for Process Innovation have teamed up in the state-funded ICE-Batt project . This seeks to use new forms of carbon , such as Thomas Swan ’ s graphene nanoplatelets , in order to address the limitations of lithium-ion batteries , including energy and power density and low temperature performance .
Evonik delivers
Evonik is to buy Barcelona-based Infinitec Activos , which supplies delivery systems for cosmetic active ingredients , including the Cosmetic Drone technology and a new PGLA-based delivery system . Natural raw material producer Naturethic is also part of the deal . The firm will be integrated into Evonik ’ s Care Solutions business line and its technology will also be used in other fields , such as healthcare .
JUL / AUG 2021 SPECCHEMONLINE . COM
7