Roche invests in production lines for infusion-free device to administer Herceptin

Swiss drugmaker Roche is investing about CHF190m (Euro 129m; £112m) at its production sites in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland and Mannheim, Germany in order to manufacture an infusion-free device that will deliver an innovative formulation of breast cancer drug herceptin (trastuzumab) developed with Halozyme Therapeutics" "Enhanze" technology.

This Herceptin formulation, together with the ready-to-use administration device, allows for the injection of larger volumes of medicines into the tissue under the skin. Medicines currently administered by infusion in a hospital could therefore be self-administered in a GP surgery or by the patient at home via a subcutaneous injection.

The production line in Kaiseraugst will provide the supply for clinical studies and market launch and a full-scale automated production line in Mannheim will deliver commercial supply to markets.

Pat Yang, head of Roche Pharma global technical operations, said: "This innovative formulation and the associated new device are designed to simplify patients" lives. There is also hope that patients will experience fewer infusion reactions due to the slower absorption after subcutaneous administration."

A Phase III trial investigating subcutaneous Herceptin is underway.

Halozyme entered into an agreement with Roche in 2006 to apply its proprietary Enhanze technology to Roche's biologic compounds. Roche has access to Halozyme's expertise in developing and applying Halozyme's recombinant human enzyme, rHuPH20, to Roche biologics directed at multiple targets. Roche has a worldwide, exclusive licence to develop and commercialise product combinations of rHuPH20 and Roche compounds resulting from the collaboration.