Through the collaboration, Sandoz will gain access to Just – Evotec Biologics’ AI-driven, fully integrated technology platform, which provides development and continuous manufacturing of fully integrated drug substance.
This partnership supports the expansion of the company’s pipeline to 24 biosimilar assets from more than 15 assets.
It also provides opportunity to improve Sandoz’s integrated development and manufacturing network.
Sandoz CEO Richard Saynor said: “This strategic partnership is founded on a strong shared sense of purpose and commitment to use disruptive technology with lower operational costs to deliver high-quality biosimilars at scale to patients around the world.
“It provides us with additional capabilities to support the strategic expansion of our pipeline with new assets and to begin immediately transitioning our early biosimilar pipeline – ensuring continuity in development and manufacturing while Sandoz finalises its planned separation from Novartis.
“Development of the biosimilars will ramp-up over the coming 12-18 months.”
The alliance also includes an option for Sandoz to in-license Just – Evotec Biologics’ full tech stack, injected into its fully owned ‘S.POD’ facility.
This will help in expanding the disruptive biosimilars’ development and manufacturing in the latter part of this decade.
Just – Evotec Biologics will secure a ‘double-digit-million’ upfront and future payments of $640m dependent on the successful development progress.
The company will also be entitled to receive additional undisclosed payments depending on the progress into commercial manufacturing and exercising the licensing option.