Bristol-Myers Squibb and Lonza expand manufacturing deal

Bristol-Myers Squibb has signed a contract expansion with Lonza, building on the existing biologics manufacturing agreement between the companies.

The firms have been collaborating since 2003 to produce commercial supplies of a biologics medicine marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb worldwide. Lonza also produces clinical supplies of one of its partner's investigational biologic therapies.

With this new agreement, the deal has been expanded to include the production of commercial quantities of a second Bristol-Myers Squibb biologic medicine at Lonza's mammalian manufacturing facility in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Lonza's development and manufacturing facilities offer proven expression systems and established platform processes for streamlined scale-up throughout the clinical pipeline.

Lou Schmukler, president of global manufacturing and supply for Bristol-Myers Squibb, said: "Our expanded relationship with Lonza is an important example of our global manufacturing strategy to meet anticipated demand for our commercial biologics portfolio and prepare to bring our late-stage clinical assets to patients."

This comes after the firm last week negotiated an exclusive option to acquire F-star Alpha, a deal that would also include rights to the company's new breast and gastric cancer therapy.