Regeneron is tripling its footprint to prepare for success in Covid-19
If Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ antibody treatment for Covid-19 works, millions of people are going to want it. Rather than waiting to find out, the company has signed a deal with Roche that will dramatically expand its manufacturing capacity to meet the potential demand.
Under the agreement, announced this morning, Regeneron expects to be able to make at least three and a half times as many doses of REGN-COV2, an antibody cocktail now in clinical trials with preliminary data expected next month. If the treatment works, Regeneron will handle distribution in the U.S., and Roche will preside over the rest of the world. In the meantime, the companies will split the costs of clinical development.
"It’s kind of an unusual deal," said Regeneron CEO Leonard Schleifer, "because your typical biotech deal, if this was a [contract manufactuer], we would be paying them money to do tech transfer, or if this were a typical licensing deal they would be paying us a big upfront. But this is a deal where both parties sort of realized that together we can serve more people in the U.S. and more people around the world with what we hope will be an important weapon in this pandemic fight."
Experts have endorsed the potential of therapeutic antibodies for Covid-19, but only if the drug industry can produce enough doses to make a difference in the pandemic. Regeneron’s agreement with Roche is designed to address that very concern.
Under the agreement, announced this morning, Regeneron expects to be able to make at least three and a half times as many doses of REGN-COV2, an antibody cocktail now in clinical trials with preliminary data expected next month. If the treatment works, Regeneron will handle distribution in the U.S., and Roche will preside over the rest of the world. In the meantime, the companies will split the costs of clinical development.
"It’s kind of an unusual deal," said Regeneron CEO Leonard Schleifer, "because your typical biotech deal, if this was a [contract manufactuer], we would be paying them money to do tech transfer, or if this were a typical licensing deal they would be paying us a big upfront. But this is a deal where both parties sort of realized that together we can serve more people in the U.S. and more people around the world with what we hope will be an important weapon in this pandemic fight."
Experts have endorsed the potential of therapeutic antibodies for Covid-19, but only if the drug industry can produce enough doses to make a difference in the pandemic. Regeneron’s agreement with Roche is designed to address that very concern.
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