Pharmaceutical Technology Editors

AMETEK Haydon Kerk Pittman's 57mm IDEA Motor

AMETEK Haydon Kerk Pittman has released a 57mm size in its IDEA Motor series, joining the existing 42mm model. The IDEA Motor series combines a precision brushless servo motor with an IDEA Drive controller to reduce design time, wiring needs, and overall cabinet space. Its programmable drive is specifically designed for real-time, embedded motion control, making it suitable for autonomous and precise single- axis motion.

The IDEA Motor series is a pre-engineered, factory-configured and -tested servo system that allows customers to develop, save, and debug complex and precise motion sequences. As an integrated package, it saves components, money, and space relative to the traditional DC motor, external drive, encoder, and cables setup. The product reduces components by up to 75% per axis and simplifies troubleshooting, and further reductions can be achieved by wiring sensor inputs and control outputs directly to the IDEA Motor rather than through a control cabinet. Each motor in the IDEA series is available with optional factory-configurable gearboxes.

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AMETEK Haydon Kerk Pittman’s 57mm size motor in its IDEA Motor series is designed for real-time, embedded motion control. 

Precision Brushless Motor

GSK announced on May 31, 2022 that it would acquire Affinivax, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, for $2.1 billion on May 31, 2022, with an additional $1.2 billion in payments conditional on certain development milestones being met. The acquisition grants GSK access to Affinivax’s novel class of vaccines, the most advanced of which are next-generation pneumococcal vaccines.

Pneumococcal disease includes pneumonia, meningitis, bloodstream infections, and milder diseases such as sinusitis and otitis media. There is a significant unmet medical need for these vaccines because while there are many different pneumococcal serotypes, the number of serotypes in current vaccines is limited due to the degree of immunological interference observed when using existing conjugation technologies.

Affinivax developed the multiple antigen presenting system (MAPS), a novel technology designed to support higher valency than conventional conjugation technologies through precise, high-affinity binding of disease-relevant polysaccharides to disease-relevant protein antigens in a single vaccine. MAPS was designed with the goal of enabling broader coverage against prevalent pneumococcal serotypes and potentially creating higher immunogenicity than current vaccines. According to a company press release, immunization with the resulting polysaccharide-protein complexes induces a broad and potentially protective B-cell response to the polysaccharides and a separate B-cell and T-cell immune response to the proteins.

Affinivax’s most advanced vaccine candidate (AFX3772) includes 24 pneumococcal polysaccharides and two conserved pneumococcal proteins, comparing favorably to currently approved vaccines that contain up to 20 serotypes. FDA granted AFX3772 a breakthrough therapy designation in July 2021 as a preventative treatment for S. pneumoniae invasive disease and pneumonia in adults 50 and older. Phase III trials are expected to start shortly, while Phase I/II clinical trials to assess the use of the vaccine in pediatrics are planned to begin later this year. In addition to AFX3722, a 30+ valent pneumococcal candidate vaccine is also in development.

“The proposed acquisition further strengthens our vaccines R&D pipeline, provides access to a new, potentially disruptive technology, and broadens GSK’s existing scientific footprint in the Boston area,” said Hal Barron, chief scientific officer and president, R&D, GSK, in the press release. “We look forward to working with the many talented people at Affinivax to combine our industry-leading development, manufacturing, and commercialization capabilities to make this exciting new technology available to those in need.”

“Affinivax grew out of our founders’ scientific and personal vision to drive vaccine innovation to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives, in both developed and developing countries,” said Steven Brugger, CEO, Affinivax, in the press release. “Over the past eight years, we have taken that vision from the initial development of our MAPS vaccine platform at Boston Children’s Hospital to a pipeline of novel vaccines with our lead vaccine candidate in late-stage clinical studies. We are proud that GSK has recognized our team’s accomplishments and are confident that GSK is an ideal new home for our MAPS platform and the team behind its success.”

GSK’s acquisition of Affinivax will give the company access to their portfolio of next-generation pneumococcal vaccines.

GSK Acquires Affinivax for $2.1 Billion

Pfizer announced that it had launched “An Accord for a Healthier World” on May 25, 2022. The accord pledges to provide all of Pfizer’s current and future patent-protected medicines and vaccines approved in the United States or EU to 45 lower-income countries on a not-for-profit basis.

Through the accord, Pfizer has committed to providing 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases, certain cancers, and rare and inflammatory diseases, with more slated to join its portfolio as they are approved and released. The accord includes all 27 low-income countries, as well as 18 lower-middle-income countries that have transitioned from low to lower-middle-income in the last ten years.

According to a company press release, Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda were the first five countries to commit to join the accord. These countries' health officials will help identify and resolve hurdles beyond supply to inform the program’s roll-out. This will include expertise to support diagnosis, healthcare professional education and training, and supply chain management. Pfizer will collaborate with participants to identify quick and efficient regulatory pathways and procurement processes to reduce the time needed to make medicines and vaccines available in these countries.

“As we learned in the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout, supply is only the first step to helping patients,” said Albert Bourla, chairman and CEO, Pfizer, in the press release. “We will work closely with global health leaders to make improvements in diagnosis, education, infrastructure, storage and more. Only when all the obstacles are overcome can we end healthcare inequities and deliver for all patients.”

To establish faster access to Pfizer’s future pipeline medicines and vaccines to the 45 countries, Pfizer is advancing work on the development of vaccine candidates for the prevention of Group B streptococcus, a leading cause of stillbirth and newborn mortality in low-income countries, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The development of another maternal vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus is also in consideration.

“Everyone, no matter where they live, should have the same access to innovative, life-saving drugs and vaccines,” said Bill Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in the press release. “The Accord for a Healthier World could help millions more people in low-income countries get the tools they need to live a healthy life. Pfizer is setting an example for other companies to follow.”

Pfizer will provide all its current and future patent-protected medicines and vaccines available in the United States or EU on a not-for-profit basis to 45 lower-income countries.

Pfizer Pledges to Improve Health Equity in 45 Lower-Income Countries

Bio-Rad Laboratories announced the launch of the CFX Duet Real-Time PCR System on May 26, 2022. The CFX Duet is designed to help researchers develop singleplex and duplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays.

According to a company press release, the CFX Duet is a two-color system that is factory calibrated for common dyes, allowing for the precise quantification of up to two targets in genotyping and multiple gene expression analysis without the need for passive reference dies. The device features thermal gradient functionality to enable optimization in fewer runs.

An additional fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mode supports protein melt analysis for basic protein characterization. The device uses CFX Maestro Software for easy experimental setup and analysis, allowing it to deliver customized reports without exporting data to other programs.

“We are pleased to expand our portfolio of qPCR instruments with the CFX Duet System to help customers run singleplex and duplex assays with a software that matches the robust thermal capabilities of our premium CFX Opus formats.” said Steven Blakely, director for gene expression and software technology, Bio-Rad, in the press release. “The versatile CFX Duet System allows users to quickly get started with gene expression, genotyping, quantification and thermal gradient optimization, as well as protein characterization using FRET.”

BioRad Laboratories CFX Duet System is designed to help researchers develop singleplex and duplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays.

Bio-Rad Launches CFX Duet Real-Time PCR System

Agenus, an immuno-oncology company, announced that it had entered into three new clinical collaborations with Targovax, Oxford BioTherapeutics, and Immunogenesis on May 31, 2022. These moves double its current number of collaborations, which now include Agenus clinical assets such as botensilimab, balstilimab, and zalifrelimab.

According to a company press release, Agenus is pursuing partnerships with companies developing agents with complementary mechanisms. Through this, they can work toward promising immunotherapy combinations to address immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. These combination studies are sponsored and executed by the companies’ collaborators, while drug supply and scientific support is provided by Agenus.

The collaboration will see three new clinical trials take place:

Agenus and Targovax will combine botensilimab and balstilimab with ONCOS-102 (oncolytic virus) in patients with programmed death-1 relapsed/refractory melanoma. ONCOS-102 is designed to induce immune activation and immunogenic cell death to improve immunotherapy response.

Agenus and Oxford BioTherapeutics will combine balstilimab with OBT076 (CD205-targeting antibody-drug conjugate) in patients with solid tumors, including lung, gastric, and ovarian cancer. OBT076 is designed to deplete CD205+ cancer cells, and immuno-suppressive cells within the tumor microenvironment, leading to T-cell activation and increased response to immunotherapy.

Agenus and Immunogenesis will combine balstilimab and zalifrelimab with evofosfamide (hypoxia-reversal agent) in patients with advanced solid tumors, including prostate, pancreatic, and human papillomavirus-negative head and neck cancer. Evofosfamide is designed to reduce tumor hypoxia and restore T-cell infiltration and activity within the tumor microenvironment, increasing responsiveness to checkpoint therapy.

“These new collaborations with Targovax, Oxford BioTherapeutics, and Immunogenesis are exciting next steps in our partnership strategy to broaden combinations and indications under evaluation with our immunomodulatory antibodies,” said Steven O’Day, chief medical officer, Agenus, in the press release. “We believe these combinations may unlock the power of immunotherapy more broadly, potentially offering new and promising benefit to patients with treatment-resistant solid tumors.”

Agenus has entered into three new deals with Targovax, Oxford BioTherapeutics, and Immunogenesis, respectively, doubling its current number of clinical collaborations.

Agenus Enters into Three New Clinical Collaborations

Thermo Fisher Scientific is teaming up with biotech incubator LabShares Newton to provide support to the biotech ecosystem in Boston. Through the collaboration, the partners will provide instruments, lab equipment, and consumables to help early-stage life sciences companies accelerate drug discovery efforts, according to a May 19, 2022 company press release.

LabShares provides fully furnished lab space, services, and equipment to more than 25 biotech companies, which alleviates logistics constraints in bringing novel therapeutics to market. Under the agreement, Thermo Fisher will outfit the shared lab space with equipment, including ultra-low temperature freezers, cell culture incubators, microscopes, and polymerase chain reaction instruments.

Although investment in the biotech industry continues to climb, the high cost of bringing drugs through R&D to market is limiting for many early-stage companies. By offering alternative lab space and more tailored support and resources, LabShares and its partners aim to aid emerging biotech companies clear hurdles that previously hindered growth for smaller companies trying to break through to the market, according to the press release.

“Thermo Fisher Scientific is incredibly excited to partner with LabShares in support of the emerging life science and biotech companies in Newton,” said Angela N. Hokanson, vice-president, corporate accounts, Thermo Fisher Scientific, in the press release. “In line with our mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer, we look forward to collaborating with LabShares and their members to innovate, validate, and commercialize the next generation of life-saving therapies.”

“With little lab space available in historic biotech hubs such as Cambridge [Mass.], emerging companies are looking to the suburbs for more accessible and affordable lab space,” said Jeff Behrens, CEO and founder, LabShares, in the press release. “Working with partners such as Thermo Fisher allows LabShares to provide a caliber of equipment that smaller companies may not otherwise have access to, empowering promising biotech startups to hit the ground running.”

Through the Thermo Fisher Scientific and LabShares Newton partnership, life science startups can accelerate early-stage discovery and development with shared lab spaces.