Pyrethrins are extracted from Dalmatian chrysanthemums.
AGRICULTURE
▸ Sumitomo invests in organic pesticide Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical has acquired control of Botanical Resources Australia (BRA) and affiliated companies. Based in Tasmania, BRA supplies insecticidal pyrethrins, a family of O compounds that are exO tracted from O Tanacetum Pyrethrin I cinerariifolium, commonly called Dalmatian chrysanthemum. Pyrethrins are used in organic agriculture. Sumitomo says the deal is part of an effort to grow its life sciences business.—MELODY BOMGARDNER
GENE THERAPY
▸ Bluebird Bio buys virus factory
C R E D I T: BOTA N I CA L R ES O URCES AUST RA LI A
Cell- and gene-therapy developer Bluebird Bio has purchased a 12,000-m2 facility in
Durham, N.C., where it will produce lentiviruses, used to encapsulate and deliver DNA into cells for gene therapies. By making the viruses in-house, Bluebird hopes to avoid a virus shortage that has delayed many gene-therapy research programs. Bluebird has also signed agreements to purchase viruses from three outside firms: Brammer Bio, Novasep, and MilliporeSigma. The company is developing cell and gene therapies for cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, beta-thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and multiple myeloma.—RYAN
CROSS
RARE DISEASE
▸ BioMarin sells another review voucher BioMarin Pharmaceutical has sold a second rare-pediatric-disease priority review voucher (PRV), this time for $125 million. BioMarin earned the voucher in April when the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved Brineura, a treatment for kids with a form of Batten disease. The voucher allows the undisclosed buyer to trim four months off FDA’s review time for a New Drug Application. In 2014, BioMarin raked in $67.5 million for a voucher it received alongside the approval of Vimizim, a treatment for Morquio syndrome A. Rare-pediatric-disease PRVs were introduced in 2012 as an incentive to spur investment in diseases with few or no treatment options.—LISA JARVIS
NEUROSCIENCE
▸ Biogen boosts MS drug portfolio Biogen will take over development of an Alkermes small-molecule drug for multiple sclerosis (MS). The compound, ALKS 8700, is in Phase III clinical trials and would compete with Biogen’s MS drug Tecfidera. ALKS 8700, based on monomethyl fumarate, is anticipated to have fewer gastrointestinal side effects than Tecfidera, which is based on dimethyl fumarate. Alkermes will get an up-front payment of $28 million and could earn $200 million in milestones, plus royalties.—RYAN CROSS
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
▸ Melinta acquires antibiotics business Melinta Therapeutics is buying the Medicines Co.’s portfolio of infectious disease drugs in a deal worth at least $270 million. Melinta gains three marketed drugs—Orbactiv, Minocin IV, and the new urinary tract infection drug combination Vabomere—that it says will complement its own recently approved Baxdela. The Medicines Co. got Vabomere through its 2013 acquisition of Rempex Pharmaceuticals. It acquired Orbactiv, which passed through several hands after being discovered at Eli Lilly & Co., in 2009.—LISA JARVIS
Business Roundup
business by allowing it to expand into packaging and other applications.
▸ BASF has granted Pulead Technology Industry, a Chinese battery cathode producer, a sublicense to make and sell its nickel-cobalt-manganese cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries in the U.S. The original patents for the cathode material are owned by Argonne National Laboratory.
▸ Gelest has named Ken Gayer, former president of Honeywell specialty products, as its CEO. Founder Barry Arkles remains as chair and chief technology officer. Private equity firm New Mountain Capital took an equity stake in Gelest in April.
▸ Lanxess will spend $24 million to build a polymer compounding plant in Changzhou, China. Set to open by 2019, the facility will be able to make 25,000 metric tons per year of nylon
and polybutylene terephthalate compounds for Chinese automakers. ▸ Solvay has agreed to sell its mercury-based chlor-alkali plant in Torrelavega, Spain, to Portugal’s CUF for an undisclosed sum. CUF will invest $65 million to convert the plant to the more modern membrane-cell process. ▸ Evonik Industries has agreed to acquire 3M’s high-concentrates plastic additive compounding business. The deal will enhance Evonik’s existing additive
▸ Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Decibel Therapeutics will collaborate on new therapies to protect, repair, and restore hearing. Regeneron will fund R&D at Decibel and provide access to its scientists and technology.
▸ LabGenius, a London-based start-up, has raised $3.7 million in a seed round of funding from investors including Kindred Capital and Acequia Capital. The company will use the money to develop its artificial intelligence engine for creating new materials using synthetic biology. ▸ Arzeda, a biobased chemicals start-up in Seattle, has raised $15.2 million in a first round of funding from investors including Universal Materials Incubator and Casdin Capital. Arzeda is building a portfolio of enzymes and specialty chemicals made with synthetic biology.
DECEMBER 4, 2017 | CEN.ACS.ORG | C&EN
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