The two companies signed a long-term strategic agreement in September 2020, helping AstraZeneca expand its biologics manufacturing capabilities in Asia Pacific, followed by an expanded deal in May 2021.
Samsung Biologics will now manufacture the additional treatments, boosting the value of the agreement from the initial $331m to $380m.
Fight against COVID-19
AZD7442 is a combination of two long-lasting antibodies (LAABs) being developed for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. AZD7442 is the first LAAB to receive an EUA from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for COVID-19 prevention and it has also received authorizations in France, Italy, and Bahrain.
AZD7442 provides additional protection to vaccination for those considered at increased risk of an inadequate response to a COVID-19 vaccine, including people who are immunocompromised, patients on dialysis, oncology patients, those taking medications after an organ transplant or those who are taking immunosuppressive drugs for conditions including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Samsung Biologics is building an additional facility, Plant 4, upon completion of which will allow the company to hold the world's largest biomanufacturing capacity of 620,000L.
It is also adding an mRNA vaccine drug substance (DS) manufacturing suite to the current facility in Songdo, ready for cGMP operations in 2022.