Gilead to buy clinical biologics plant from Genentech
Will offer employment to 55 Genentech staff at plant in California
Gilead Sciences is to buy a clinical biologics manufacturing facility in California, US from Genentech.
Gilead says it will offer employment to 55 Genentech staff at the 70,000ft2 Oceanside Clinical Plant (OCP), which produces biologic compounds for toxicological, Phase 1 and Phase II clinical studies.
Initially Gilead will use the plant for the process development and manufacture of GS 6624 (formerly AB0024), a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of certain cancers and for fibrotic diseases, and another antibody currently in preclinical testing.
GS 6624 was discovered by Arresto Biosciences, which was acquired by Gilead in January.
The companies expect the transaction to close in the third quarter, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions.
‘This acquisition represents a unique opportunity to establish Gilead's biologics process research and manufacturing capability while bringing on a team of employees with strong expertise in biologics manufacturing and process development,’ said Norbert Bischofberger, Gilead's executive vice president of r&d and chief scientific officer.
‘This will enable us to accelerate internal biologics research and development programmes and take advantage of external opportunities in the future,’ he added.
