Lonza and Osiris Therapeutics enter strategic product supply agreement

Lonza has announced a clinical and commercial manufacturing agreement with Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. for the production of Prochymal, their leading adult stem cell therapy.

Concurrent with this announcement, Lonza announces the construction of new facilities including the first commercial-scale allogeneic cGMP manufacturing facility and additional capacity to manufacture cGMP grade cell culture media for therapeutic applications.

This multi-million US dollar, state-of-the-art therapeutic cell production facility will provide Lonza the capacity to manufacture the tens of billions of cells per day needed to support its clients’ commercialization efforts.

Prochymal is being evaluated in Phase III clinical trials for three indications, including acute and steroid refractory Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) and also Crohn's disease. Acute GvHD is a potentially life threatening complication that arises in approximately 50% of all patients who receive a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Prochymal is also being developed for the repair of heart tissue following a heart attack, the protection of pancreatic islet cells in patients with type 1 diabetes, and the repair of lung tissue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Terms of the agreement between Lonza and Osiris were not disclosed.