More and more companies are eyeing antibody-drug conjugate technology as a path to success in drug development, and Indian contract manufacturer Piramal is spending $2.5 million to expand its ability to supply the in-demand formulation.
Piramal will put the cash toward upgrading its ADC manufacturing from clinical phase to commercial grade at a U.K. plant, giving it two FDA-approved manufacturing suites in one site, the company said. Piramal touts itself as the first contract supplier of ADCs, and the latest expansion affirms both the CMO's commitment to its clients and the technology's promising future in biotech, the company said.
"This investment, supporting an emerging and exciting platform in the field of oncology treatment, aligns completely with our values as an organization," COO Vijay Shah said in a statement. "We view ADCs as a strategic area of growth for our Pharma Solutions Business, and this investment demonstrates our intention to support our customers with facilities and capacity that can support them into commercial supply."
The U.K. expansion follows a November partnership with Fujifilm Diosynth, in which the two companies pooled their resources to offer ADC contract work to global clients.
While Piramal may have the been the first contractor to cash in on ADC demand, it's not alone on the market. Catalent inked an agreement in April for an exclusive license to Redwood Bioscience's ADC technology, in the process taking a minority stake in the company with an option to buy.
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