In its state-of-the-art plant in Hérouville-Saint-Clair, the French pharmaceutical processing player becomes the exclusive producer of one of the ten most promising molecules against rare forms of Covid-19.
On one side, Cenexi, a French company specializing in the formulation, development and manufacture of sterile liquid vials; on the other Humanigen, an American biopharmaceutical company: between the two, an agreement for the next five years! Humanigen will transfer its technology and know-how to Cenexi to produce batches of lenzilumab for the whole of Europe. Within a year, one million vials should come out of the manufacturing lines of the Hérouville-Saint-Clair plant each year, a latest-generation line.
Lenzilumab, the leading antibody in its category
This molecule is the result of ten years of research by Humanigen. It is one of the 10 most promising treatments for Covid-19 listed by the EMA, the European Medicines Agency. This monoclonal antibody neutralizes the inflammatory factor triggering the "cytokine shock", an overactive immune reaction observed in severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The molecule is the subject of an application for early approval for the French market from the ANSM via an Early Access Authorization (AAP) procedure. As well as on the European market with the EMA. Once the green light has been obtained, the molecule could be available in French hospitals within about a year.
Cenexi, the ideal partner for sterile filling
Founded in 2004, the Cenexi Group is positioned on the very active international market for medicines with major therapeutic indications and its sterile expertise represents 70% of its activity. With its 1,500 employees and nearly 200 million euros in turnover (in 2021), the major player in the processing industry is experiencing steady growth with four production sites (Fontenay-sous-Bois, Osny and Hérouville-Saint-Clair in France, Braine-l'Alleud in Belgium) and a center of expertise dedicated to pharmaceutical development and industrial transfer. "Our goal is to establish a sustainable supply chain for these therapies, in order to consolidate a strong and agile healthcare industry in France," says Cenexi President Christophe Durand.
Extensive collaboration
"We want Cenexi to become the cornerstone of lenzilumab's entire supply chain in France and Europe, in the longer term," says Cameron Durrant, President of Humanigen. The agility, flexibility and responsiveness of the French teams makes it possible to provide broader services: upstream of manufacturing, during the drug development stages and then downstream, by providing regulatory or logistical services on the French and European markets.
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