Croda, the speciality chemical company has entered into an agreement with Pfizer to supply novel excipients used in the manufacture of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The contract runs for five years and awards Croda an initial supply contract for four component excipients used in the production of the vaccine candidate for the first three years of the contract. Demand remains subject to relevant approvals.
Croda’s recently acquired subsidiary, Avanti Polar Lipids specialises in the development and production of high-purity lipids, to produce research and clinical trial quantities of excipients in order to stabilise formulations and enable delivery into the body by parenteral mechanism (injection) for drug and vaccine applications.
Commenting on the new contract, Steve Foots, Chief Executive Officer, said: “I’m very proud of Croda’s involvement in the battle to fight the most significant pandemic that we have seen in a generation. The application of our innovative capabilities is testament to the strong progress we have made to create industry-leading drug delivery systems, focused on developing speciality excipients and adjuvants to improve the effectiveness and stability of complex drug actives and vaccines.”
Image credit: Bill Oxford