Basel, Switzerland, 5 September 2017 – Lonza, a global leader in chemical and biological manufacturing, today announced that it has entered into a long-term commercial supply agreement with Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing product candidates that could significantly advance the fields of thrombosis and other hematologic diseases.
The focus of the agreement is to provide Portola with security of supply and the flexibility to react swiftly to changes in market demand scenarios. Both companies are strengthening their relationship after a successful collaboration on the clinical manufacturing of AndexXa® (andexanet alfa), a universal recombinant protein reversal agent for patients on FXa inhibitors who experience a major bleed or need urgent surgery.
Under the agreement with Portola, Lonza will extend current manufacturing commitments at Lonza's Porrino (ES) facility and add long-term manufacturing production in Visp (CH) for AndexXa®. With this agreement Lonza adds the first customer to its innovative new manufacturing complex IbexTM. This expanded manufacturing collaboration guarantees access to Lonza's capacity for Portola and allows coverage of the full range of anticipated demand scenarios for commercial supply.
“This significant agreement with Portola deepens our existing collaboration globally,” said Marc Funk, COO for Lonza's Pharma&Biotech segment. "The scale up and transfer of the manufacture of AndexXa® to Lonza's new IbexTM facility in Visp will ensure quantities of product needed for patients can be met for the long term from a secure second Lonza supply site."