Oxford BioMedica has signed a three-year contract to manufacture and supply viral vectors to support Boehringer Ingelheim’ s cell and gene therapy pipeline.

Under the terms of the Development and Supply Agreement (DSA), Oxford BioMedica will manufacture batches for German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The agreement also enables Oxford BioMedica to produce and supply viral vector products in the future.

The manufacturing will take place at Oxford BioMedica’s Windrush Court site, located in Oxford, UK as well as at one of its three UK manufacturing plants. The three UK manufacturing facilities are all based in Oxford – Harrow House, Yarnton and Oxbox.

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“Oxford BioMedica is a leader in the field of virus-based therapeutics and was chosen because of our previous experience with them,” a spokesperson for Boehringer Ingelheim told BioProcess Insider.

Oxford BioMedica and Boehringer Ingelheim partnered in 2018 to develop a gene therapy treatment for Cystic Fibrosis. The collaboration saw Oxford BioMedica develop and manufacture the candidate alongside material for toxicology studies.

Oxford BioMedica’s CEO, John Dawson echoed this statement and said the agreement “demonstrates the good progress made in our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, which started in 2018.” He continued: “We now have a portfolio of partnerships spread across development of CAR-Ts, TCR-Ts and in vivo gene therapeutics, utilising lentiviral vectors.”

COVID-19 efforts

Since May 2020, its Oxbox facility has manufactured AstraZenca’s COVID-19 vaccine AZD-1222. The firm added extra production suites in September last year to be able to produce tens of millions of doses per day.

The firm said its COVID-19 efforts will not affect its current or future partnerships.

“There are no concerns with regards to staff and space due to the current manufacture of the vaccine,” a spokesperson for Oxford Biomedica told us. “We have capacity reserved specifically for the vaccine and do not expect any impact on the Group’s current or new partnerships.”