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Wacker Chemie AG — M&A Activity 2013
Nov 12, 2013
479_rns_2013-11-12_c6576d8f-caac-4998-8139-ecc3346dea25.html
M&A Activity
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Corporate | 12 November 2013 09:59
Wacker Chemie AG: Acquisition Strengthens WACKER’s Biologics Activities
Wacker Chemie AG / Key word(s): Acquisition
12.11.2013 / 09:59
– 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
End of Corporate News
12.11.2013 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP – a company of EQS Group AG.
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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: | [email protected] |
| 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 |