Drug delivery specialist Inyx has announced that its UK arm Ashton has been picked by Acorus Therapeutics to manufacture and package its new solid-dose product for the treatment of various forms of epilepsy and essential tremor.
Acorus is currently concluding process validation, method transfer and stability studies to allow the start of the drug commercial production.
The two UK-based companies have signed an initial three-year agreement whereby Ashton will manufacture the new drug in a variety of dosages and packaging formats for distribution in more than 10 Western European and South American markets.
"This contract reflects Ashton's strong solid-dose expertise, Inyx's growing packaging capabilities, and our expanding presence in global markets," said Jack Kachkar, Inyx's CEO.
"We are very pleased that Ashton has been selected by Acorus, which is a new client for our company."
Acorus focuses on project management, regulatory affairs, marketing and business development, while outsourcing operations such as research, development, manufacturing and logistics.
Menwhile, Cobra Biomanufacturing, another UK-based contract manufacturer, has signed a deal with Pharmexa for the production of clinical supplies of its new protein vaccine to be used in Phase I clinical trials for bone disorders.
The therapeutic vaccine, PX107, uses of Pharmexa's proprietary active immunotherapy technology AutoVac.
Pharmexa will be carrying out the upstream and downstream development of PX107 but requires Cobra's cGMP manufacturing capabilities to produce the material for clinical trials, the company said.
The manufacture of the product will be conducted at Cobra's Oxford site, which has recently been expanded.
In other news, EaglePicher has completed the sale of its pharma services division to Aptuit.
EaglePicher announced it decided to sell its pharma business last October as part of the restructuring that followed its Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August, leaving its laboratory facilities in Lenexa, Kansas, and manufacturing plant in Harrisonville, Missouri, to Aptuit.
The acquisition, whose terms were not disclosed, will give Aptuit the ability to provide its customers with process development and novel route development, preclinical drug substance supply, clinical drug substance supply, radio synthesis, niche commercial supply and technology transfer packages.