DGAP-News: Wacker Chemie AG: Acquisition Strengthens WACKER's Biologics Activities
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-News: Wacker Chemie AG / Key word(s): Acquisition
Wacker Chemie AG: Acquisition Strengthens WACKER's Biologics
Activities
12.11.2013 / 09:59
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- WACKER ACQUIRES SCIL PROTEINS PRODUCTION IN HALLE, GERMANY
- CAPACITY FOR PHARMACEUTICAL ACTIVES FERMENTER UP TO 1,500 LITERS
- SCIL'S PROTEIN-REFOLDING TECHNOLOGY BROADENS THE EXPERTISE WACKER
OFFERS AS A FULL-SERVICE PROVIDER FOR MICROBIAL PRODUCTION OF BIOLOGICS
- ACQUISITION IS A KEY STEP FOR WACKER TO SUPPORT ITS PHARMA CUSTOMERS
NOT ONLY IN CLINICAL TRIALS, BUT ALSO DURING MARKET SUPPLY
Munich / Halle, November 12, 2013 - Wacker Biotech GmbH, a subsidiary of
Wacker Chemie AG, is acquiring a production site for bioengineered
pharmaceutical proteins (biologics) - including the associated business -
from BioNet Ventures GmbH. Today, the two companies announced the signing
of a purchase agreement to this effect.
WACKER's acquisition covers the assets of Scil Proteins Production at the
SCIL site in Halle, eastern Germany, including the patent portfolio. WACKER
will be continuing Scil Proteins Production's existing customer
partnerships. The Munich-based chemical group will also retain the SCIL
staff. The transaction is expected to close early next year.
Founded in 2005, Scil Proteins Production has some 80 employees and
operates a fermenter in Halle (eastern Germany) with a capacity of up to
1,500 liters. Pharmaceutical actives can be produced in this fermenter for
clinical trials and for market supply. Complying with 'Good Manufacturing
Practice' (GMP) quality regulations, the facilities already have the
approval of the European Medicines Agency for the manufacture of an
approved therapeutic protein. Approval by the US Food and Drug
Administration is expected soon.
The protein-refolding expertise held by Scil Proteins Production
significantly complements WACKER's know-how in its role as a full-service
provider for the microbial manufacture of biologics. For proteins that
cannot be produced in an active form in bacterial cells, refolding is a key
technology in order to achieve the desired protein in the active form.
'We see the acquisition as a crucial step towards extending our service to
customers to cover the market-supply phase following approval of customer
drugs more adequately,' announced Dr. Gerhard Schmid, President of the
WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS business division. 'Our partners' various
pharmaceutical projects, which we have proactively supported during
preclinical and clinical development, are about to be launched on the
market. Expanding our production capacities in this way comes at an ideal
time for both ourselves and our customers. Additionally, SCIL's refolding
expertise complements our own technology platforms and extends the range of
services that we offer as a leading contract manufacturer of
biopharmaceutical proteins with microbial technologies,' Schmid explained.
Schmid added that the acquisition of Scil Proteins Production involved a
number of benefits that outweighed expanding Wacker Biotech's existing
biopharmaceutical activities in Jena. For example, the facilities in Halle
already manufacture pharmaceutical actives for an approved drug. A further
decisive reason for the acquisition was SCIL's highly qualified workforce.
'Now we can place much larger production capacities at our customers'
disposal,'emphasized Schmid.
About Wacker Biotech
Wacker Biotech GmbH is a full-service contract manufacturer of
biopharmaceutical products based on microbial systems. Services at the
company's Jena-based multipurpose site, which has been certified on various
occasions, range from molecular biology, comprehensive analytical services
and process development through to the GMP-compliant production of clinical
test samples and pharmaceutical actives for the commercial market. Above
all, Wacker Biotech offers proprietary technologies, such as ESETEC(R),
that satisfy market needs for cost-efficient production and maximum
quality. Headquartered in Jena, Germany, Wacker Biotech is a wholly-owned
WACKER subsidiary.
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions
and estimates of WACKER's Executive Board. Although we assume the
expectations in these forward-looking statements are realistic, we cannot
guarantee they will prove to be correct. The assumptions may harbor risks
and uncertainties that may cause the actual figures to differ considerably
from the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such
discrepancies include, among other things, changes in the economic and
business environment, variations in exchange and interest rates, the
introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance for new products or
services, and changes in corporate strategy. WACKER does not plan to update
the forward-looking statements, nor does it assume the obligation to do so.
For further information, please contact:
Wacker Chemie AG
Media Relations&Information
Christof Bachmair
Tel. +49 89 6279-1830
Fax +49 89 6279-1239
christof.bachmair(at)wacker.com
End of Corporate News
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12.11.2013 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de
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Language: English
Company: Wacker Chemie AG
Hanns-Seidel-Platz 4
81737 München
Germany
Phone: 0049-89-6279-1633
Fax: 0049-89-6279-2933
E-mail: investor.relations(at)wacker.com
Internet: www.wacker.com
ISIN: DE000WCH8881
WKN: WCH888
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard);
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover,
München, Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News-Service
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239098 12.11.2013
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Datum: 12.11.2013 - 09:59 Uhr
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